Plague

Abbott, Rachel C.; Rocke, Tonie E.

doi:10.3133/cir1372

Cited by 16 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…, Gratz , Eisen et al. , Abbott and Rocke ). Three of the seven species of fleas were detected on all four of the rodent species.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All seven species of fleas we collected and identified are known vectors of plague (Brown 1944, Marchette et al 1962, Gratz 1999, Abbott and Rocke 2012. Furthermore, the four coexisting rodents shared at least four flea species.…”

Section: Flea Communitymentioning

confidence: 87%

“…We collected and identified seven species of fleas: Eumolpianus eumolpi, Thrassis pandorae, Oropsylla idoensis, O. tuberculata tuberculata, Neopsylla inopina, Aetheca wagneri, and Malaraeus telchinus. All seven species are known plague vectors (Brown 1944, Marchette et al 1962, Gratz 1999, Abbott and Rocke 2012. Three of the seven species of fleas were detected on all four of the rodent species.…”

Section: Flea Communitymentioning

confidence: 98%

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Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid

2020

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For vector‐borne diseases, the abundance and competency of different vector species and their host preferences will impact the transfer of pathogens among hosts. Sylvatic plague is a lethal disease caused by the primarily flea‐borne bacterium Yersinia pestis. Sylvatic plague was introduced into the western United States in the early 1900s and impacts many species of rodents. Plague may be suppressing populations of the threatened northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) if a competent flea community is allowing plague to be maintained within the few extant sites that support this rare ground squirrel. We collected fleas from four species of sympatric rodents in central Idaho: northern Idaho ground squirrels, Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus), yellow‐pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus), and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus). We evaluated which flea species were present and whether fleas were shared among the rodent community. We documented seven species of fleas among 3356 fleas collected from the four host species of rodents, and all seven species of fleas are known vectors of plague. Three of the seven flea species were detected on all four rodent species, demonstrating potential for spillover of plague (bridge vectors) in the rodent community. We used generalized linear mixed models to evaluate which abiotic and biotic factors influence flea abundance (total number of fleas, regardless of flea species, on each individual host of the four rodent host species). Factors that impacted flea abundance varied among the four host species, but flea abundance: (1) changed over summer depending on host species, (2) was greater on males, and (3) was impacted by summer and winter precipitation depending on host species. Our results suggest this diverse flea community has the capacity to transfer Y. pestis among populations of the four rodents if Y. pestis is present. Furthermore, the disease may be more likely to persist in some locations than others, those that have higher flea abundances, more sympatric hosts, or optimal conditions for fleas, and such high‐risk sites can be identified based on their abiotic and biotic factors.

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“…, Gratz , Eisen et al. , Abbott and Rocke ). Three of the seven species of fleas were detected on all four of the rodent species.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Flea Communitymentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Flea Communitymentioning

confidence: 98%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid

2020

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“…By the early 1950s, plague had reached its current geographic distribution, and since 1965 has caused consistent human illness, suggesting that Y. pestis has become fully entrenched in enzootic cycles throughout the West ( 3 ). Together with their respective flea species, multiple rodents contribute to the current ecology of plague in United States, including ground squirrels, prairie dogs, wood rats, chipmunks, deer mice, and voles ( 26 ). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology of Human Plague in the United States, 1900–2012

Kugeler¹,

Staples²,

Hinckley³

et al. 2015

Emerg. Infect. Dis.

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“…In general, prairie dog populations in North America have been influenced by epizootic plague outbreaks since its introduction (Jachowski et al 2011). The two primary flea species among prairie dogs are Oropsylla hirsuta and O. tuberculata cynomuris (Abbott and Rocke 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficacy of a fipronil bait in reducing the number of fleas (Oropsylla spp.) infesting wild black-tailed prairie dogs

Poché

Hartman

Polyakova

et al. 2017

Journal of Vector Ecology

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Bubonic plague (Yersinia pestis) is a deadly zoonosis with black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) as a reservoir host in the United States. Systemic insecticides are a promising means of controlling the vectors, Oropsylla spp. fleas, infesting these prairie dogs, subsequently disrupting the Y. pestis cycle. The objective of this study was to conduct a field trial evaluating the efficacy of a grain rodent bait containing fipronil (0.005%) against fleas infesting prairie dogs. The study was performed in Larimer County, CO, where bait was applied to a treatment area containing a dense prairie dog population, three times over a three-week period. Prairie dogs were captured and combed for fleas during four study periods (pre-, mid-, 1 st post-, and 2 nd post-treatment). Results indicated the use of bait containing fipronil significantly reduced flea burden. The bait containing fipronil was determined to reduce the mean number of fleas per prairie dog >95% for a minimum of 52 days post-initial treatment application and 31 days post-final treatment application. These results suggest the potential for this form of treatment to reduce flea population density on prairie dogs, and subsequently plague transmission, among mammalian hosts across the United States and beyond. Journal of Vector Ecology 42 (1): 171-177. 2017.

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Plague

Cited by 16 publications

References 51 publications

Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid

Flea sharing among sympatric rodent hosts: implications for potential plague effects on a threatened sciurid

Epidemiology of Human Plague in the United States, 1900–2012

Efficacy of a fipronil bait in reducing the number of fleas (Oropsylla spp.) infesting wild black-tailed prairie dogs

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