OBSERVATIONS ON URBAN ECOLOGY OF SURAT AND BUBONIC PLAGUE TRANSMISSION IN THE CITY

Observations were made on the urban ecology of Surat city to understan d the ecological support system conducive for wild rodent epizootic an d its spill-over to initiate human bubonic plague outbreak. The unprec edented flood situation prior to the Surat outbreak was also appraised from the standpoint of plague dynamics. No obvious evidence could be gathered relating to the ecological support system and ecological link ages between rodents from urban and feral habitats which could have le d to the spill-over of sylvatic rodent plague to initiate bubonic plag ue-in humans. Flood conditions in Surat also could not be identified a s a factor contributing to an epizootic of plague and subsequent epide mic of human bubonic plague.