Epidemiological Character and Control Measure for Human Plague in Yunnan

The rodents plague epidemic occurred in 46 counties and 49 episodes of human plague were epidemic, total of 273 cases were confirmed and 2 cases died in 22 counties of Yunnan Province from 1986 to 1998. Analysis showed that the main infectious source was of R.flavipectus, the infectious vector of X.cheopis, the infectious route of rodent→flea→human. The cases distributed in the whole year. There was an epidemic season from July to November and a peak in September. The human plague epidemic happened more times in county, city and town where the population was concentrated usually the patient was sporadic, occasionally occurred outbreak in small range. There was the characteristic of continuity, discontinuity and all of a sudden. All patients confirmed were of bubonic plague and 3 cases of all developed to septicemia plague. The swelled lymph nodes of most patients were located lower limbs (63.4%). Of 273 cases, 30 cases were confirmed by bacteriology (11.0%),241 cases with serology (88.3%) and 2 cases according to clinical symptoms. Analysis suggesed that strengthening plague surveillance, finding patients early, timely and efficaciously controlling rodent plague be an important measures for prevention of the human plague occurrence.