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Plague in Brazil: From Now and Then

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Advances in Yersinia Research

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 954))

Abstract

In Brazil, plague is a greatly neglected disease. It received some attention when it was first introduced in 1899 and again during the first decades of the twenty century, when it spread to important cities. Plague was forgotten as soon as it became restricted to isolated and poor areas, but it received renewed attention in the 1960s, when the lack of control resulted in increased plague-related morbidity and mortality. Records of this zoonosis are lacking, and the biotic and abiotic factors in the epidemiological chain are virtually unknown by the public health services and universities. However, the systematic detection of Yersinia pestis antibodies in sentinel animals has provided evidence of its continued presence and the possibility of its reemergence. In this paper, some aspects of plague epidemiology and plague control from 1899 to 2011 are described and analyzed. This information could support new studies of the natural history of plague in Brazil.

In Memoriam

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. DIP/FAMED/UFAL, Maceió, AL, Brazil

    Celso Tavares

  2. NUVET/SESA, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

    Antônia Ivoneida Aragão

  3. Departamento de Microbiologia, FIOCRUZ/PE, Campus da UFPE, Cidade Universitária, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Nilma Cintra Leal, Tereza Cristina Leal-Balbino & Alzira Maria Paiva de Almeida

  4. Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Maria Betânia Melo de Oliveira

  5. Laboratório Central (LACEN), Recife, PE, Brazil

    Geane Maria de Oliveira Gonçalves Ferreira

Authors
  1. Celso Tavares
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  2. Antônia Ivoneida Aragão
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  3. Nilma Cintra Leal
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  4. Tereza Cristina Leal-Balbino
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  5. Maria Betânia Melo de Oliveira
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  6. Geane Maria de Oliveira Gonçalves Ferreira
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  7. Alzira Maria Paiva de Almeida
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Celso Tavares .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Centro de Pesquisa Aggeu Magalhães, Campus da UFPE, Recife, 50670, Brazil

    Alzira Maria Paiva de Almeida

  2. , Centro de Pesquisa Aggeu Magalhães, Campus da UFPE, Recife, 50670-420, Brazil

    Nilma Cintra Leal

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Tavares, C. et al. (2012). Plague in Brazil: From Now and Then. In: de Almeida, A., Leal, N. (eds) Advances in Yersinia Research. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 954. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3561-7_10

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