Spatial analysis and identification of high risk plague regions in Pakistan based on associated rodent species distribution

Plague, caused by Yersinia pestitis, is an infectious bacterial disease that has a high fatality rate if untreated. Rodents are plague reservoirs and play an important role in disease spread. Plague cases have been reported extensively since the second pandemic from the 14th century in countries sha...

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Main Authors: Madiha Shabbir, Maha Aleem, Sundus Javed, David M Wagner, Paul S Keim, Syed Ali Musstjab Akbar Shah Eqani, Habib Bokhari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2016-08-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/7091
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author Madiha Shabbir
Maha Aleem
Sundus Javed
David M Wagner
Paul S Keim
Syed Ali Musstjab Akbar Shah Eqani
Habib Bokhari
author_facet Madiha Shabbir
Maha Aleem
Sundus Javed
David M Wagner
Paul S Keim
Syed Ali Musstjab Akbar Shah Eqani
Habib Bokhari
author_sort Madiha Shabbir
collection DOAJ
description Plague, caused by Yersinia pestitis, is an infectious bacterial disease that has a high fatality rate if untreated. Rodents are plague reservoirs and play an important role in disease spread. Plague cases have been reported extensively since the second pandemic from the 14th century in countries sharing borders with Pakistan, such as China and India, as well as nearby countries including Russia and central Asia. Despite being centrally located in a plague-infested geographical zone, there has been no plague incidence reported from Pakistan. This study aims to pinpoint some of the potentially important aspects of the disease, which have to be considered when assessing potential risk associated with a plague outbreak in Pakistan. In this context, the occurrence and distribution of plague-associated rodent reservoirs in different regions of Pakistan in relation to those found in the neighboring countries were mapped. In addition, the climatic factors that may also influence disease spread by affecting the growth of the bacteria are also discussed. The combined epidemiological and ecological surveillance studies suggest a prevalence of several potential rodent carriers in certain districts with the possibility of a plague outbreak in Pakistan.
format Article
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institution OA Journals
issn 1972-2680
language English
publishDate 2016-08-01
publisher The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
record_format Article
series Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
spelling doaj-art-9e4445de79a4438580707ec07841da902025-08-20T02:14:10ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802016-08-01100710.3855/jidc.7091Spatial analysis and identification of high risk plague regions in Pakistan based on associated rodent species distributionMadiha Shabbir0Maha Aleem1Sundus Javed2David M Wagner3Paul S Keim4Syed Ali Musstjab Akbar Shah Eqani5Habib Bokhari6COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, PakistanCOMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, PakistanCOMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, PakistanNorthern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United StatesNorthern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, United StatesCOMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, PakistanCOMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Islamabad, PakistanPlague, caused by Yersinia pestitis, is an infectious bacterial disease that has a high fatality rate if untreated. Rodents are plague reservoirs and play an important role in disease spread. Plague cases have been reported extensively since the second pandemic from the 14th century in countries sharing borders with Pakistan, such as China and India, as well as nearby countries including Russia and central Asia. Despite being centrally located in a plague-infested geographical zone, there has been no plague incidence reported from Pakistan. This study aims to pinpoint some of the potentially important aspects of the disease, which have to be considered when assessing potential risk associated with a plague outbreak in Pakistan. In this context, the occurrence and distribution of plague-associated rodent reservoirs in different regions of Pakistan in relation to those found in the neighboring countries were mapped. In addition, the climatic factors that may also influence disease spread by affecting the growth of the bacteria are also discussed. The combined epidemiological and ecological surveillance studies suggest a prevalence of several potential rodent carriers in certain districts with the possibility of a plague outbreak in Pakistan. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/7091PakistanplaguepandemicrodentsprevalenceYersinia pestis
spellingShingle Madiha Shabbir
Maha Aleem
Sundus Javed
David M Wagner
Paul S Keim
Syed Ali Musstjab Akbar Shah Eqani
Habib Bokhari
Spatial analysis and identification of high risk plague regions in Pakistan based on associated rodent species distribution
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
Pakistan
plague
pandemic
rodents
prevalence
Yersinia pestis
title Spatial analysis and identification of high risk plague regions in Pakistan based on associated rodent species distribution
title_full Spatial analysis and identification of high risk plague regions in Pakistan based on associated rodent species distribution
title_fullStr Spatial analysis and identification of high risk plague regions in Pakistan based on associated rodent species distribution
title_full_unstemmed Spatial analysis and identification of high risk plague regions in Pakistan based on associated rodent species distribution
title_short Spatial analysis and identification of high risk plague regions in Pakistan based on associated rodent species distribution
title_sort spatial analysis and identification of high risk plague regions in pakistan based on associated rodent species distribution
topic Pakistan
plague
pandemic
rodents
prevalence
Yersinia pestis
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/7091
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AT mahaaleem spatialanalysisandidentificationofhighriskplagueregionsinpakistanbasedonassociatedrodentspeciesdistribution
AT sundusjaved spatialanalysisandidentificationofhighriskplagueregionsinpakistanbasedonassociatedrodentspeciesdistribution
AT davidmwagner spatialanalysisandidentificationofhighriskplagueregionsinpakistanbasedonassociatedrodentspeciesdistribution
AT paulskeim spatialanalysisandidentificationofhighriskplagueregionsinpakistanbasedonassociatedrodentspeciesdistribution
AT syedalimusstjabakbarshaheqani spatialanalysisandidentificationofhighriskplagueregionsinpakistanbasedonassociatedrodentspeciesdistribution
AT habibbokhari spatialanalysisandidentificationofhighriskplagueregionsinpakistanbasedonassociatedrodentspeciesdistribution