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How did rat control and sanitation reduce urban plague epidemics?
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plague
Image depicting victims of the sixth biblical plague.
Urban plague epidemics were historically driven by the transmission of the bacterium Yersinia pestis from infected rodents to humans via fleas. When epizootic outbreaks killed off rodent populations, these fleas would seek human hosts, leading to human infection.12
The reduction of urban plague epidemics was achieved through targeted public health measures that disrupted this cycle:23
- Rat Control: Following the discovery that Oriental rat fleas were the primary vectors, massive rat-proofing initiatives were implemented in maritime vessels and port facilities to prevent the movement and proliferation of rodents.4
- Sanitation: Improved urban sanitation, including better waste and sewage disposal, helped eliminate the conditions that allowed rats to thrive in close proximity to human habitations.45
- Environmental Management: Changes in domestic housing design helped exclude rats from human dwellings, further limiting human exposure to infested animals.4
These hygienic measures, combined with the use of insecticides in outbreak areas, have virtually ended urban plague epidemics in the developed world.14