Analysis of the plague surveillance results in Ningde city from 2002 to 2008

Objective The host animals and vector insects were monitored for early detection of plague epidemic and timely implementation of control measures.Methods Live rats were captured with cage traps,and taxonomically identified.The liver,spleen and sera samples were collected from the rats for detection of F1 antibodies and fleas.The rodent density,flea-carrying rate and flea index were then calculated.Results The dominant species of indoor rats were Rattus norvegicus and R.tanezumi,and the ones of outdoor rats were R.losea and Bandicota indica.The average rodent density,indoor and outdoor,reached 7.46% and 2.90%,respectively.The average flea-carrying rate of indoor rats was 42.00% with the total flea index of 1.19.The significantly dominant parasitic flea was Xenopsylla cheopis.Conclusion Although the species composition of hosts and vectors in historically epidemic areas remained stable with low density and a declining flea index,it is desirable to perform the monitoring for timely detection of abnormal signals,so as to implement the necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of plague.