Objective: To group and characterize natural plague foci in China.
Methods: A novel two-class typing method as well as a three-indication nomenclature method were established to group and characterize the natural plague foci, on the basis of eco-geographical landscapes of plague foci, genetics of Yersinia pestis, zoology of rodent reservoirs and the entomology of flea vectors.
Results: A total of 12 distinct natural plague foci (including 19 subtypes) as well as their biological features were characterized.
Conclusion: Natural plague foci in China were grouped and characterized in this study.