Current measures for prevention and control of plague include which of the following?

Current measures for prevention and control of plague include which of the following?

• A. Minimize contact with rats and fleas
• B. Vaccination of humans against plague
• C. Quarantining livestock only
• D. Widespread antibiotic treatment for the entire population

Answer: (A)

Prevention centers on interrupting transmission from rodents to humans by reducing contact with the fleas that carry the plague. Controlling rodent populations, eliminating rodent habitats, and reducing flea exposure in homes, kennels, and areas where livestock are kept are the core practical steps, along with general hygiene and prompt treatment of cases to limit spread. Vaccination of humans against plague is not part of standard routine prevention; while vaccines exist in some contexts, they are not widely used for mass protection. Quarantining livestock alone doesn’t address the main routes of human infection, since fleas can move between environments and human exposure isn’t limited to livestock. Widespread antibiotic treatment for the entire population isn’t feasible or recommended as a preventive strategy; antibiotics are used for treatment and, in some outbreaks, targeted post-exposure prophylaxis for close contacts, not for everyone. So, the most appropriate current preventive measure is minimizing contact with rats and fleas.

Prevention centers on interrupting transmission from rodents to humans by reducing contact with the fleas that carry the plague. Controlling rodent populations, eliminating rodent habitats, and reducing flea exposure in homes, kennels, and areas where livestock are kept are the core practical steps, along with general hygiene and prompt treatment of cases to limit spread.

Vaccination of humans against plague is not part of standard routine prevention; while vaccines exist in some contexts, they are not widely used for mass protection. Quarantining livestock alone doesn’t address the main routes of human infection, since fleas can move between environments and human exposure isn’t limited to livestock. Widespread antibiotic treatment for the entire population isn’t feasible or recommended as a preventive strategy; antibiotics are used for treatment and, in some outbreaks, targeted post-exposure prophylaxis for close contacts, not for everyone.

So, the most appropriate current preventive measure is minimizing contact with rats and fleas.