Sylvatic plague is defined as an infection in which type of animal?

Sylvatic plague is indeed an infection predominantly found in wild rodents. This disease is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which is known to circulate among various rodent populations, particularly in rural and wild settings. These wild rodents, such as squirrels, prairie dogs, and other small mammals, act as reservoir hosts and can host the pathogen without typically succumbing to severe illness themselves.

The transmission cycle often involves fleas that infest these rodents, which can then spread the plague to other wildlife, and occasionally to domestic animals and humans. Understanding that the primary reservoirs for sylvatic plague are wild rodents is crucial for public health monitoring and control efforts, as outbreaks are often linked to changes in the population of these rodent species. The presence of the disease in domestic animals or other species does not classify it as sylvatic plague, emphasizing the specific connection to wild rodent populations.