Surveillance on and control of plague in Guangxi Province in 2000 through 2005

Objective To analyze the outcome of surveillance on plague and provide the evidences for the policy making in Guangxi. Methods The epidemic data and the surveillance results of plague were analyzed and assessed in Guangxi from 2000 to 2005. Results Totally 95 747 rats were captured and 21 173 fleas were collected in the last 6 years. 46 814 rats were examined and 26 strains Yersinia pestis were isolated. Indirect hemorrhagic assay (IHA) was used to test the F1 antibody against plague in the blood serum of the rats and indicator animals resulting in 3 positive rats and 34 positive animals respectively. 34 natural villages in 4 towns distributed in 2 counties had been involved in plague. Conclusions The prevalence of plague in Guangxi has been preliminarily controlled after its epidemic outbreak. The preventive strategy is markedly effective.