| use of dna hybridizations probes for detection of the plague bacillus (yersinia pestis) in fleas (siphonaptera: pulicidae and ceratophyllidae). | the detection of active plaque in nature relies primarily on demonstration of the etiologic agent of the disease. yersinia pestis, in the flea vectors and susceptible mammalian hosts. a live animal assay is currently used for identification of a y. pestis virulence antigen that is not expressed in the flea. we have found that dna hybridization probes specific for y. pestis, used in very simple sample preparation schemes, allow detection of y. pestis in three species of fleas as well as tissues o ... | 1989 | 2769715 |