Objective: To explore the existence of natural foci on Marmota himalayana plague in Sichuan province and to provide basis for prevention and control of the disease.
Methods: Both epidemiological investigation and laboratory tests were used to provide the host animal and fleas of the vectors with Yersinia pestis carriers.
Results: 30 species of animals were found to belong to 10 orders. Ochotona curzoniae and M. himalayana were the most common ones while 7 species of the fleas belonged to 7 genera and 3 families. M. himalayana was the main reservoirs while Callopsylla dolabris and Oropsylla silantiewi served as vectors. The 13 Y. pestis were identified from 43 Marmota samples. 8 samples were identified under IHA, with the highest titer of herding-dogs serum as 1:10,240. 19 samples were F1 antigen positive using RIHA and the highest titer of M. himalayana serum was 1:409,600. The major foci was 4545 km2, distributed at Dege county in Sichuan province.
Conclusion: We have confirmed the existence of natural foci on M. himalayana plague in Sichuan province.