Plague in the Territory of Hawaii: II. Plague Surveillance, Hamakua District, Island of Hawaii

Abstract

Descriptions of the field and laboratory procedures employed in this program are given. During 1940-1950 plague infections were detected in 460 rodents and their ectoparasites. Of this number, 358 were detected in rats found dead, 23 in killed rats, 20 in trapped rats, and 24 in mice found dead. In addition, 11 infections were determined by mass rat tissue inoculation, 3 by mass mice inoculation, and 21 by mass flea inoculation. Emphasis is placed on the importance of finding dead rodents in and adjacent to communities, as the greatest number of plague infections were detected in rats found dead. Since 1946 the effort to detect plague in rodents and rodent ectoparasites by means of mass tissue and mass flea inoculations has been greatly increased in and adjacent to habitable areas.