Community-led intensive trapping reduces abundance of key plague reservoir and flea vector
Abstract Background Zoonotic pathogens transmitted by rodents are highly prevalent in low-middle income countries and effective control measures that are easily implemented are urgently needed. Whilst rodent control seems sensible as a mitigation strategy, there is a risk that disease prevalence in...
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BMC
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Tropical Medicine and Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-025-00746-0 |
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| author | Marcela P. A. Espinaze Soanandrasana Rahelinirina Todisoa Radovimiandrinifarany Fehivola Mandanirina Andriamiarimanana Alain Berthin Andrianarisoa Voahangy Soarimalala Kathryn Scobie Mireille Harimalala Minoarisoa Rajerison Steven R. Belmain Sandra Telfer |
| author_facet | Marcela P. A. Espinaze Soanandrasana Rahelinirina Todisoa Radovimiandrinifarany Fehivola Mandanirina Andriamiarimanana Alain Berthin Andrianarisoa Voahangy Soarimalala Kathryn Scobie Mireille Harimalala Minoarisoa Rajerison Steven R. Belmain Sandra Telfer |
| author_sort | Marcela P. A. Espinaze |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Zoonotic pathogens transmitted by rodents are highly prevalent in low-middle income countries and effective control measures that are easily implemented are urgently needed. Whilst rodent control seems sensible as a mitigation strategy, there is a risk that disease prevalence in reservoir populations can increase following control due to impacts on movement and demographics. Additionally, removing rodents from the population does not necessarily lead to reductions in abundance as populations can compensate for removal through increased breeding and immigration. In a previous study of intermittent control within houses, we showed that reduction in rodent abundance was only very short-term. Working in rural settings within the plague-endemic area of Madagascar, this study explores whether community-led daily intensive rodent trapping within houses can effectively reduce long-term rodent and flea abundance. Main text A rodent management experiment was carried out in six rural villages of Madagascar during 2022–2023. Three villages were selected as intervention villages, where intensive daily rodent trapping inside houses was conducted. Surveillance of rodent and flea abundance using traps and tiles took place at 4-month intervals. We show that community-led intensive rodent trapping in rural Malagasy households effectively reduced abundance of the main rodent reservoir (Rattus rattus) and indoor flea vector (Xenopsylla cheopis) of plague. Importantly, indoor abundance of the outside flea vector (Synopsyllus fonquerniei) did not increase. Conclusions Community-based intensive rodent trapping inside houses is an effective methodology in controlling key reservoirs and vectors of plague, which can be implemented by the communities themselves. Co-ordinated and sustained rodent control should be considered as an important plague mitigation strategy. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-12c1063a12f144a1aff8346bcefb3281 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1349-4147 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tropical Medicine and Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-12c1063a12f144a1aff8346bcefb32812025-08-20T01:49:48ZengBMCTropical Medicine and Health1349-41472025-05-0153111010.1186/s41182-025-00746-0Community-led intensive trapping reduces abundance of key plague reservoir and flea vectorMarcela P. A. Espinaze0Soanandrasana Rahelinirina1Todisoa Radovimiandrinifarany2Fehivola Mandanirina Andriamiarimanana3Alain Berthin Andrianarisoa4Voahangy Soarimalala5Kathryn Scobie6Mireille Harimalala7Minoarisoa Rajerison8Steven R. Belmain9Sandra Telfer10School of Biological Sciences, University of AberdeenPlague Unit, Institut Pasteur de MadagascarEcole Doctorale Sciences de la Vie et de l’Environnement, University of AntananarivoPlague Unit, Institut Pasteur de MadagascarPlague Unit, Institut Pasteur de MadagascarAssociation VahatraSchool of Biological Sciences, University of AberdeenUnité d’Entomologie Médicale, Institut Pasteur de MadagascarPlague Unit, Institut Pasteur de MadagascarNatural Resources Institute, University of GreenwichSchool of Biological Sciences, University of AberdeenAbstract Background Zoonotic pathogens transmitted by rodents are highly prevalent in low-middle income countries and effective control measures that are easily implemented are urgently needed. Whilst rodent control seems sensible as a mitigation strategy, there is a risk that disease prevalence in reservoir populations can increase following control due to impacts on movement and demographics. Additionally, removing rodents from the population does not necessarily lead to reductions in abundance as populations can compensate for removal through increased breeding and immigration. In a previous study of intermittent control within houses, we showed that reduction in rodent abundance was only very short-term. Working in rural settings within the plague-endemic area of Madagascar, this study explores whether community-led daily intensive rodent trapping within houses can effectively reduce long-term rodent and flea abundance. Main text A rodent management experiment was carried out in six rural villages of Madagascar during 2022–2023. Three villages were selected as intervention villages, where intensive daily rodent trapping inside houses was conducted. Surveillance of rodent and flea abundance using traps and tiles took place at 4-month intervals. We show that community-led intensive rodent trapping in rural Malagasy households effectively reduced abundance of the main rodent reservoir (Rattus rattus) and indoor flea vector (Xenopsylla cheopis) of plague. Importantly, indoor abundance of the outside flea vector (Synopsyllus fonquerniei) did not increase. Conclusions Community-based intensive rodent trapping inside houses is an effective methodology in controlling key reservoirs and vectors of plague, which can be implemented by the communities themselves. Co-ordinated and sustained rodent control should be considered as an important plague mitigation strategy.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-025-00746-0PlagueSiphonapteraRodent-borne diseasesZoonosisRural populationRodent control |
| spellingShingle | Marcela P. A. Espinaze Soanandrasana Rahelinirina Todisoa Radovimiandrinifarany Fehivola Mandanirina Andriamiarimanana Alain Berthin Andrianarisoa Voahangy Soarimalala Kathryn Scobie Mireille Harimalala Minoarisoa Rajerison Steven R. Belmain Sandra Telfer Community-led intensive trapping reduces abundance of key plague reservoir and flea vector Tropical Medicine and Health Plague Siphonaptera Rodent-borne diseases Zoonosis Rural population Rodent control |
| title | Community-led intensive trapping reduces abundance of key plague reservoir and flea vector |
| title_full | Community-led intensive trapping reduces abundance of key plague reservoir and flea vector |
| title_fullStr | Community-led intensive trapping reduces abundance of key plague reservoir and flea vector |
| title_full_unstemmed | Community-led intensive trapping reduces abundance of key plague reservoir and flea vector |
| title_short | Community-led intensive trapping reduces abundance of key plague reservoir and flea vector |
| title_sort | community led intensive trapping reduces abundance of key plague reservoir and flea vector |
| topic | Plague Siphonaptera Rodent-borne diseases Zoonosis Rural population Rodent control |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-025-00746-0 |
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