Socio-ecological risk factors associated with human flea infestations of rural household in plague-endemic areas of Madagascar.

ABSTRACT: Plague is a flea-borne fatal disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which persists in rural Madagascar. Although fleas parasitizing rats are considered the primary vectors of Y. pestis, the human flea, Pulex irritans, is abundant in human habitations in Madagascar, and has been found naturally infected by the plague bacterium during outbreaks. While P. irritans may therefore play a role in plague transmission if present in plague endemic areas, the factors associated with infestation and human exposure within such regions are little explored. To determine the socio-ecological risk factors associated with P. irritans infestation in rural households in plague-endemic areas of Madagascar, we used a mixed-methods approach, integrating results from P. irritans sampling, a household su

SUBMITTER: Miarinjara A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10950221 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature