| Summary: | A study has been carried out in the Nilgiri hills and downhill areas of erstwhile plague-endemic localities to determine the prevalence, density of rodents and rat fleas, their significance in plague surveillance and control activities undertaken in this region. Four species of rodents, viz., Rattus rattus, Bandicota bengaliensis, Bandicota indica and Mus musculus and one species of insectivore Suncus murianes were trapped in the study. Flea species recorded were given in the order of abundance Xenopsylla cheopis, Styvalius ahale, Nosophylla nilgiriensis and Xenopsylla astia. The absolute and specific flea index of X. cheopis the study computed for hilly and downhill villages were 0.39 and 0.20 respectively. When the prevalence of rodents and fleas was compared between the hilly and downhill areas of the study area, the trap-positive index, prevalence of rodents and fleas, absolute flea index and specific flea indices of X. cheopis were significantly higher in hilly areas than in downhill areas. The implication of the findings of the study on the plague surveillance and control activities undertaken in the erstwhile plague-endemic Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu state was discussed.
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