Experience of Russian-Malagasy Cooperation in the Fight against Plague: Results of the First Joint Expedition

The paper is devoted to the first experience of Russian-Malagasy cooperation in ensuring the sanitary-epidemiological well-being of the population on the island of Madagascar. It describes the results of the first expeditionary work on studying the activity of natural plague foci in the Amoron’i Mania region of the Republic of Madagascar. The aim of the work was to summarize the experience gained during the joint expedition, as well as to develop recommendations for improving the system of epidemiological surveillance and prevention. Materials and methods . During the expedition, methods of epidemiological analysis, epizootiological monitoring, and laboratory diagnostics (PCR, LAMP, ELISA, bacteriological method, and sequencing) were used. Results and discussion . As part of the epizootiological monitoring, 22 communes of the Amoron’i Mania region were surveyed and 116 small mammals of 6 species were captured. 232 combined samples of small mammals’ organs (liver/spleen and kidneys/lungs), 82 samples of fleas, and 42 pools of ticks were tested for the presence of pathogens of various nature. The expedition has provided recommendations for improving plague monitoring in Madagascar. This work opens up opportunities for further collaboration between Russia and Madagascar in the field of plague surveillance, aimed at reducing the risks of infectious diseases and protecting the population from biological threats.