@article{fdi:010053031,
  title = {{S}usceptibility to {Y}ersinia pestis experimental infection in wild {R}attus rattus, reservoir of plague in {M}adagascar},
  author = {{T}ollenaere, {C}. and {R}ahalison, {L}. and {R}anjalahy, {M}. and {D}uplantier, {J}ean-{M}arc and {R}ahelinirina, {S}. and {T}elfer, {S}. and {B}rouat, {C}arine},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{I}n {M}adagascar, the black rat, {R}attus rattus, is the main reservoir of plague ({Y}ersinia pestis infection), a disease still responsible for hundreds of cases each year in this country. {T}his study used experimental plague challenge to assess susceptibility in wild-caught rats to better understand how {R}. rattus can act as a plague reservoir. {A}n important difference in plague resistance between rat populations from the plague focus (central highlands) and those from the plague-free zone (low altitude area) was confirmed to be a widespread phenomenon. {I}n rats from the plague focus, we observed that sex influenced plague susceptibility, with males slightly more resistant than females. {O}ther individual factors investigated (weight and habitat of sampling) did not affect plague resistance. {W}hen infected at high bacterial dose (more than 10(5) bacteria injected), rats from the plague focus died mainly within 3-5 days and produced specific antibodies, whereas after low-dose infection (< 5,000 bacteria), delayed mortality was observed and surviving seronegative rats were not uncommon. {T}hese results concerning plague resistance level and the course of infection in the black rat would contribute to a better understanding of plague circulation in {M}adagascar.},
  keywords = {{E}xperimental challenge ; infectious disease resistance ; {M}adagascar ; pathogen-mediated selection ; rodent-borne disease ; {Y}ersinia pestis},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{E}cohealth},
  volume = {7},
  numero = {2},
  pages = {242--247},
  ISSN = {1612-9202},
  year = {2010},
  DOI = {10.1007/s10393-010-0312-3},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010053031},
}