中文摘要：

鼠疫是一种极其烈性的人畜共患传染病，其自然疫源地广泛分布于世界各地。近20年来鼠疫的动物与人间疫情有所加重，世界卫生组织已将其列为重新抬头的传染病。鼠疫菌是传统的生物战剂，也是潜在的生物恐怖剂。鼠疫研究中主要有四个关键的科学问题：鼠疫菌的遗传多态性与微进化；鼠疫菌的致病与传播机制；鼠疫疫苗；鼠疫自然保存机制。本文就这些关键科学问题的研究进展与展望进行了论述。

英文摘要：

Plague is an exceedingly virulent infectious zoonosis that constitutes a great threat to public health. The natural loci of plague distribute worldwide. The epidemic situation of plague has been aggravated in recent 20 years both as an interpersonal and epizootie disease, and the World Health Organization has listed plague as a reemerging violent irffectious disease. As the pathogen of plague, Yersinia pestis is not only a traditional biological warfare agent, but also a potential biological terrorism agent. The present paper reviewed the progress and prospect on four recognized key points in the research work of plague, namely genetic polymorphisms and mieroevolution, pathogenesis and trasmission, vaccine, and long--term persistence in nature.