Rapid Detection of Yersinia Pestis Antigen from Decomposed Rodent Viscera Using An Up-Converting Phosphor Technology-Based Lateral-Flow Assay

Dear Editor, Plague, a seriously infectious zoonotic disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis, has claimed millions of lives during three major historic pandemics. Y. pestis, with a minimum infectious dose for mammals of less than 100 organisms (even less than 10 by the subcutaneous route), can proliferate in mammalian macrophages and migrate to internal organs within days. To date, with rodents as reservoirs and fleas as vectors, Y. pestis is widely and persistently distributed in natural foci on most continents (except Australia) and poses a high risk to humans. Therefore, surveillance and control of local plague hosts, including decomposed ones, are important in plague-endemic regions. Furthermore, inexpensive, convenient, and reliable point-of-care testing (POCT) is essential in resource-limited areas