关键词: 乌海市, 鼠疫, 监测, 密度, 种类构成, 疫情

Abstract: Objective To investigate the changes in the density of Meriones unguiculatus and the composition of rodents in plague foci of Wuhai City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, in 2013-2022, as well as their carrying status of Yersinia pestis, so as to provide a scientific basis for plague surveillance, prevention, and control.Methods The hectare day trapping method was used for the density monitoring and sampling of M. unguiculatus, and the 5 m trap line method was used to monitor the density of nocturnal rodents. The daily rodent trapping method and the active foot survey method were used for expanded search, and Y. pestis was detected in laboratory by microscope smear examination, bacterial culture, bacteriophage test, indirect hemagglutination assay, reverse hemagglutination test, and PCR nucleic acid detection. The descriptive epidemiological methods were used for statistical analysis.Results In 2013-2022, the average density of M. unguiculatus was 0.65 rodents/hm² in plague foci in Wuhai by the hectare day trapping method. A total of 839 rodents belonging to 9 species were captured by three methods, among which M. unguiculatus was the dominant species, accounting for 57.21%. Two strains of Y. pestis were detected in 2020, and two samples tested positive for Y. pestis by PCR nucleic acid detection, while no positive results were observed in the other years.Conclusions There will be a weak epidemic period in the plague foci of M. unguiculatus in Hainan District of Wuhai City. However, it is still necessary to strengthen the monitoring and early warning of rodents and plague, and enhance the health education on plague and behavioral intervention for employees of newly built enterprises and farmers and herdsmen in the epidemic foci, so as to timely identify the epidemic of plague between animals and prevent the occurrence of human plague.

Key words: Wuhai, Plague, Surveillance, Density, Species composition, Epidemic situation