Plague in American Indians 1956-1987
Barnes AM and Quan TJ. 1988. Plague in American Indians 1956-1987. MMWR Surveillance Summaries. 37(SS3):11-16
Bubonic plague (Yersinia pestis infection) is enzootic among native wild rodents and their fleas in much of the western United States from the Pacific coast eastward to about the 97th meridian. The disease in animals is characterized by sporadic or periodic epizootics among susceptible rodent populations, particularly members of the squirrel family (Sciuridae). Human cases acquired from wild rodents and their fleas result from chance encounters with plague-infected fleas or animals during epizootics, and cases typically occur as single, isolated events or in small clusters. In the past decade, approximately 19 cases per year have been reported. An apparently disproportionate number of these cases have occurred among American Indians. This report presents information on the distribution of plague cases by racial/ethnic ground and discusses some of the factors believed to be responsible for the disparity.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Barnes, Allan; Quan, Thomas
- Units
- BRCA
- Keywords
- American Indians, Bubonic Plague, epizootics, human plague, Plague, Yersinia pestic infection