What is considered the primary plague reservoir?

The primary plague reservoir is indeed rodents. The disease known as plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, primarily circulates within rodent populations, particularly among species such as the black rat and various types of ground squirrels. These rodents can carry the bacteria without showing symptoms and serve as the main source for outbreaks, particularly when fleas, which feed on infected rodents, spread the bacteria to other animals or humans.

Understanding this relationship is critical in managing and preventing potential plague outbreaks, as controlling rodent populations and monitoring their health can significantly reduce the risk of transmission. Other options, while they may act as hosts for other diseases, do not serve as the main reservoirs for plague. Bats, birds, and reptiles are not known to play a significant role in the epidemiology of this disease, making rodents uniquely essential in the context of plague transmission and ecology.