Animal-cell phone based surveillance and notification of infectious diseases in remote settings: A case study of plague in Uganda

摘要

Background: This study aims to test effectiveness of animal-cellphone based disease surveillance and reporting model for Yersinia pestis, a primarily flea-borne bacteria that causes animal and human plague. In Uganda, Y. pestis is believed to be maintained in the wild rodents by Arvicanthis niloticus and Crocidura spp. These natural reservoirs do not develop clinical plague, unlike the domestic rat “Rattus rattus”, which die in large numbers when infected. Upon deaths, rodent fleas go on rampage for alternative source of blood meals, putting humans at risk of Y.