Table 1. Main vectors and hosts identified in countries where human plague has been declared between 2013 and 2018*.
| Country | Declared human plague cases 2013–2018** | Recognized main host(s) | Described vectors involved in zoonotic/epizootic cycles |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRC [7] | 410 |
Arvicanthis abyssinicus Mastomys natalensis Lemniscomys striatus Rattus rattus Mus minutoides |
Dinopsyllus lypusus Ctenophthalmus cabirus Ctenophthalmus phyris Xenopsylla brasiliensis |
| Madagascar [7,100,108] | 2,323 |
R. rattus R. norvegicus Suncus murinus |
X. cheopis X. brasiliensis Synopsyllus fonquerniei |
| Uganda [7,56] | 22 |
Arvicanthis niloticus Mastomys spp. Crocidura spp. |
X. cheopis X. brasiliensis C. cabirus D. lypusus |
| United Republic of Tanzania [7] | 36 |
R. rattus M. natalensis A. abyssinicus |
X. cheopis X. brasilensis D. lypusus |
| Bolivia [7,98] | 3 |
R. rattus Graomys griseoflavus Galea musteloides |
X. cheopis |
| Peru [98] | 40 |
R. rattus R. norvegicus Sciurus stramineus Akodon mollis Cavia porcellus Aegialomys xanthaeolus Oryzomys andinus |
Polygenis litargus X. cheopis Hectopsylla spp. Tiamastus cavicola |
| US [25, 109] | 40 |
Cynomys gunnisoni Cynomys ludovicianus Onychomys leucogaster Otospermophilus variegatus Otospermophilus beecheyi Callospermophilus lateralis Urocitellus beldingi Eutamias spp. Microtus californicus |
Oropsylla hirsuta Oropsylla montana Opisocrostis spp. Diamanus montanus Hoplopsyllus anomalus |
| China [6,7] | 5 |
Marmota himalayana Marmota caudata Rattus flavipectus Urocitellus undulatus Spermophilus dauricus Eothenomys miletus Apodemus chevrieri Meriones unguiculatus Microtus brandti Microtus fustus |
Callopsylla dolabris Oropsylla silantiewi |
| Kyrgyzstan [6,110] | 1 |
Marmota baibacina Microtus gregalis Microtus carruthersi M. caudata |
Callopsylla caspia O. silantiewi Citellophyllus tesquorom |
| Russia Federation [110] | 1 |
Spermophilus pygmaeus Meriones meridianus Ochotona pallasi pricei U. undulatus S. dauricus Spermophilus musicus Microtus arvalis |
C. caspia Neopsylla setosa Neopsylla laeviceps X. conformis Paradoxopsyllus scorodumovi |
| Mongolia [7,110–113] | 5 |
Marmota sibirica Rhombomys opimus M. unguiculatus Allactaga sibirica Cardiocranius paradoxus |
O. silantiewi |
*A comprehensive review of hosts and vectors involved or suspected to be involved in plague transmission would need an entire article or chapter of a book. The aim of this table is to highlight the outstanding ability of Y. pestis to evolve in different hosts and vectors.
**From: Bertherat E. Plague around the world in 2019. Weekly Epidemiological Report. 2019;25:289–292 [8].
Abbreviation: DRC, Democratic Republic of Congo