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One of the oldest identifiable diseases known to man plague remains endemic in many natural foci around the world. It is widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics and in warmer areas of temperate countries. Essentially a disease of wild rodents plague is spread from one rodent to another by flea ectoparasites and to humans either by the bite of infected fleas or when handling infected hosts. Recent outbreaks have shown that plague may reoccur in areas that have long remained silent. Untreated mortality particularly from pneumonic plague may reach high levels. When rapidly diagnosed and promptly treated plague may be successfully managed with antibiotics such as streptomycin and tetracycline reducing mortality from 60% to less than 15%. However the recent appearance in Madagascar of a strain of Yersinia pestis showing multiresistance to antibiotics is a matter of much concern and highlights the necessity for effective surveillance of the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) in 1976 issued its Plague Manual covering the surveillance of plague bacteriological and serological examination and rodent reservoirs and flea vectors of the infection. Since then there have been many developments and an updated publication is needed for front line health personnel especially for those at the primary health care level. This publication presents new information on the diagnosis and treatment of plague and a comprehensive review of the control of rodent reservoirs and flea vectors. Due to the considerable progress made in the laboratory diagnosis of plague a publication dealing specifically with this subject will be published separately. (excerpt)