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Tularemia on Martha's Vineyard: seroprevalence and occupational risk.

We conducted a serosurvey of landscapers to determine if they were at increased risk for exposure to Francisella tularensis and to determine risk factors for infection. In Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, landscapers (n=132) were tested for anti-F. tularensis antibody and completed a questionnaire. For comparison, serum samples from three groups of nonlandscaper Martha's Vineyard residents (n=103, 99, and 108) were tested. Twelve landscapers (9.1%) were seropositive, compared with one person total from the comparison groups (prevalence ratio 9.0; 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 68.1; p=0.02). Of landscapers who used a power blower, 15% were seropositive, compared to 2% who did not use a power blower (prevalence ratio 9.2; 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 69.0; p=0.02). Seropositive landscapers worked more hours per week mowing and weed-whacking and mowed more lawns per week than their seronegative counterparts. Health-care workers in tularemia-endemic areas should consider tularemia as a diagnosis for landscapers with a febrile illness.

Adult↗

Laboratory analysis of tularemia in wild-trapped, commercially traded prairie dogs, Texas, 2002.

Oropharyngeal tularemia was identified as the cause of a die-off in captured wild prairie dogs at a commercial exotic animal facility in Texas. From this point source, Francisella tularensis-infected prairie dogs were traced to animals distributed to the Czech Republic and to a Texas pet shop. F. tularensis culture isolates were recovered tissue specimens from 63 prairie dogs, including one each from the secondary distribution sites. Molecular and biochemical subtyping indicated that all isolates were F. tularensis subsp. holarctica (Type B). Microagglutination assays detected antibodies against F. tularensis, with titers as great as 1:4,096 in some live animals. All seropositive animals remained culture positive, suggesting that prairie dogs may act as chronic carriers of F. tularensis. These findings demonstrate the need for additional studies of tularemia in prairie dogs, given the seriousness of the resulting disease, the fact that prairie dogs are sold commercially as pets, and the risk for pet-to-human transmission.

Animals↗

First reported prairie dog-to-human tularemia transmission, Texas, 2002.

A tularemia outbreak, caused by Francisella tularensis type B, occurred among wild-caught, commercially traded prairie dogs. F. tularensis microagglutination titers in one exposed person indicated recent infection. These findings represent the first evidence for prairie-dog-to-human tularemia transmission and demonstrate potential human health risks of the exotic pet trade.

Adult↗

[Epidemic outbreak of tularemia in Palencia].

BACKGROUND: Tularemia can become a health problem after its recent emergence in Spain. OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinico-epidemiologic characteristics of a tularemia outbreak occurred in Palencia (October 1997 to March 1998). DESIGN: Case-control study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A clinico-epidemiologic survey was conducted. The Chi square test and the Student "t" test were used and a logistic regression analysis was made. The diagnosis was made by serology (microagglutination or macroagglutination) or culture. RESULTS: There were 151 cases; 74.5% of cases were confirmed or likely. The ulceroglandular was the most common clinical form of the disease (49%) and 23.2% of patients required hospital admission; 93.4% of patients had exposure to hares, and 86.7% of them handled them. Higher risk practices included skinning (adjusted OR: 3.9; 95% CI [1.03-14.7]; p = 0.04) and cutting/cooking (adjusted OR: 2.7; 95% CI [1.01-6.7]; p = 0.03). Streptomycin therapy was used for 51.6% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: The clinico-epidemiologic surveillance of this disease in Spain is necessary.

Adolescent↗

[Use of the immunofluorescence method to detect the causative agent of tularemia in developing chick embryos].

There was shown a possibility of using the immunofluorescent method for detection of the causative agent of tularemia in the developing chick embryos, infected with the virulent strains 503 (holoarctic race) and Schu (nonarctic race). The greatest accumulation of bacteria was revealed in the yolk sacs, and the least--in the chorionallantoic fliud; the greatest accumulation of bacteria was observed on the 3rd--4th days after the infection. In infection with various doses of the causative agent--from 1 milliard to 1 microbial cell-positive results were noted in 92.3% of cases (according to the data of fluorescent microscopy) and in 77.3% of cases (according to the data of light microscopy), this pointing to a greater sensitivity of the method of fluorescent in comparison with the light microscopy. Immunofluorescent method can be recommended for detection of the causative agent of tularemia in the yolk sacs of chick embryos.

Age Factors↗

[Phagocytic activity of the neutrophils in tularemia in animals with varying infective sensitivity].

A study was made of the ingestive capacity of blood neutrophils; there were revealed no significant differences in the intact animals with a different infectious sensitivity to tularemia. With the development of infection the ingestive activity of leukocytes increased in the infected highly sensitive animals, but the digestive function was not manifest. In albino rats (with a low sensitivity to tularemia) the disease induced an intensification of the ingestive and the manifestation of the digestive function of neutrophils dynamically developing together with the specific immunity reactions.

Absorption↗

[Tularemia as a biological weapon].

Tularemia is a zoonosis, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium, Francisella tularensis. The organism penetrates the human body through interrupted skin or mucous membranes, via animal contact or bites from ticks, deer-flies and mosquitoes. Contaminated aerosol and water are alternative modes of transmitting the germ through the respiratory and alimentary tracks. In light of its high infectivity in aerosol and its offensive occupation in the past, tularemia may appear in a biological warfare context. After an incubation period of 3-5 days, the disease begins with systemic symptoms, which abate, leaving a clinical picture, dominated by one of the listed patterns: ulceroglandular, typhoidal, glandular, occuloglandular, pharyngeal or pneumonic. Diagnosis and identification of the bacterium is difficult and even hazardous. Most diagnoses are established by serology which is positive in 50-70% of the patients after 2 weeks of illness, and in most of them by 4-8 weeks. The treatment of choice is streptomycin intra-muscular, or gentamicin intra-venous for 10-14 days. Prophylaxis may be achieved by tetracycline treatment, beginning up to 24 hours from exposure, for 2 weeks, or by a live attenuated, investigational vaccine. Nevertheless, post-exposure, or even better so, pre-exposure intervention is the most effective way of preventing the devastating results of the attack.

Animals↗

Dual infection: tularemia and Lyme borreliosis acquired by single tick bite in northwest Croatia.

A case of dual infection, tularemia and Lyme borreliosis acquired by a single tick bite in northwest Croatia is presented. The patient came from a highly endemic region for Lyme borreliosis, where 45% of the ticks are infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. Clinically, tularemia manifested as the ulceroglandular form, and Lyme borreliosis manifested with arthritis (knee). Both diseases responded well to combined antibiotic therapy.

Croatia↗

[Tularemia in inactive natural foci].

The data on the epidemiological and epizootological manifestations of tularemia on the territory of the Ulyanovsk region are presented. The characteristics describing the process of the of Francisella tularensis circulation as well as the environmental objects, most important for the manifestations of tularemia infection, are given.

Animals↗

[Tularemia, a potential bioterrorism weapon].

A POTENTIAL WEAPON: Because of its highly contagious nature with a low inoculum, principally with the biovar A, F. tularensis is considered as an agent that could be used by terrorists, notably when sprayed. Any epidemic of tularemia, essentially in its respiratory form, particularly in areas of low incidence of this infection, should be suspected to be a biowarfare attack. The voluntary contamination of water with this bacteria could also be used as a biological weapon. THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF THE DISEASE: Depend on the mode of contamination, the dose of inoculum and the virulence of the strains. The forms are pulmonary, ulcerous-glandular, typhoid, glandular, ocular-glandular, oropharyngeal and septicemic. IN GENERAL PRACTICE: Tularemia is a disease that requires official notification. Many guidelines exist for the treatment and prophylaxis of patients having been exposed to F. tularensis.

Adult↗

[Epidemiological situation on tularemia in the regions of Stavropol Territory affected by flood].

The data obtained in the analysis of the epidemiological situation in tularemia in the zone of inundation in the Stavropol Territory in 2002 are presented. The current systematic epidemiological surveillance, as well as the data of urgent epizootological and epidemiological survey in the zone of inundation permitted the objective prognostication of the situation in tularemia and formed the basis for the rational planning and realization of prophylactic measures.

Animals↗

[Patterns in the change in the number of carriers and epizootic activity in a floodplain local natural focus of tularemia in Voronezh Province].

Prolonged study of the population of Arvicola terrestris L. in connection with tularemia epizootic among these animals showed this animal to serve as the principal carrier of tularemia infection in the Povorinsk natural focus. Epizootics proved to originate with a definite threshold count of Arvicola terrestris L.; this threshold constituted about 30% of the trapped animals. Dynamics of the epizootic activity was characterized by alterations of cycles of various duration, coursing by waves, with 2--3-year periods. Reduction of the epizootic intensity coursed during a decade in 2 waves with 3-year periods, and during a 7-year period--in one 3-year wave. During the epizootics with the character of a 2-year wave the population of the principal carrier diminished, and with a 3-year wave the count of Arvicola terrestris L. decreased during the first year, and began to increase during the second year, despite the persistence of the epizootic. Detection of regularities attending the changes in the population of the principal carrier of the infection and its connection with the epizootics permitted to make long-period prognoses of the epizootic activity and to plan antiepidemic measures in the focus.

Animals↗

Tularemia, a reemerging disease in northwest Turkey: epidemiological investigation and evaluation of treatment responses.

An outbreak of tularemia occurred in three provinces in Turkey in February 2004 and reemerged in the same provinces in February 2005. A total of 61 cases, 54 of which were confirmed with the micro-agglutination test, were diagnosed with oropharyngeal tularemia. No culture for Francisella tularensis was attempted, but PCR for F. tularensis was positive in aspiration material of suppurated lymphadenitis of 7 patients. F. tularensis detection with PCR was negative in water samples, but epidemiologic and environmental findings suggested that contaminated water or food was the cause of the outbreaks. Late initiation antibiotic therapy could not prevent suppuration and draining of the involved lymph nodes.

Adolescent↗

[Rapid evaluation of the effectiveness of antibacterial drugs in experimental tularemia].

Rapid estimation of the protective effect of antibacterial drugs on Fransiella tularensis for not more than 2 days was shown possible in experiments on albino mice infected with tularemia. High efficacy of aminoglycosides (kanamycin, gentamicin, streptomycin, amikacin, netilmicin, tobramycin, sagamycin, ribostamycin and sisomicin), tetracyclines (tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline and methacycline), rifampicin, phosphomycin and oxolinic acid was determined with the recommended rapid method. Amoxycillin, ampicillin, piperacillin, carbenicillin, erythromycin, levomycetin, cefradine, cefmetazole, cefatrizine, cefoxitin, cefsulodin and bactrim (biseptol) proved to be inefficient against the tularemia causative agent.

Animals↗

[Use of the ELISA immunoenzyme method for the detection of the causative agent of tularemia].

The conditions of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of Francisella tularensis were worked out. In the study of 27 strains differing in their biological characteristics, the sensitivity of the assay was determined, varying within the range of 1 X 10(4)--5 X 10(4) million cells/ml and exceeding the sensitivity of the currently used methods for the immunodiagnosis of tularemia by 1-2 orders. ELISA also proved to be a highly effective technique for the detection of the specific antigen in the organs of infected animals. The antigen was regularly detected in the organs of white mice, beginning from day 3 after their infection with the minimal doses of F. tularensis. The method may be recommended both for the identification of isolated cultures and for the early diagnosis of tularemia infection.

Animals↗

[Ixodid ticks of Pavlodar Province and their participation in the circulation of tularemia infection].

Investigations carried out in Pavlodar Province have shown that 7 species of ixodid ticks, Ixodes crenulatus, I. lividus, I. persulcatus, I. laguri laguri, Dermacentor marginatus, D. reticulatus, Haemaphysalis concinna, and one brought species, Hyalomma asiaticum, parasitize domestic animals and wild mammals. Maximum activity of pasture ticks of the genus Dermacentor falls on the end of April--beginning of May, that of H. concinna on the beginning of June. The growth in the abundance of pasture ticks, recorded during the last years, is favoured by the increase in the cattle live stock, its seasonal movements and pasture area reduction. Natural nidi of tularemia become more active. Since 1977 221 cultures of tularemia agent have been isolatid from pasture ticks. H. concinna takes the most active part in the infection circulation.

Animals↗

[Various mechanisms of formation of chronic tularemia in highly-sensitive animal species (Microtus rossiae-meridionalis)].

Experiments on voles belonging to the tularemia-sensitive species Microtus rossiae-Meridionalis, infected with Francisella tularensis highly virulent strain 503, have been carried out with the aim of studying the pathogenesis of chronic tularemia. The experiments have been made with the use of live and killed microbial cells. The significance of the multiple oral administration of killed bacteria to voles for the development of the atypical form of infection has been shown. The possibility of the early (on day 2) formation of antibodies in the blood of some of the animals has been established. Repeated feeding has been found to lead to almost 100% seroconversion in the animals. This fact can be attributed to the rapid spread of the antigen (1-5 hours) in the organs of individual animals. Besides, the causative agent is present in large amounts in lymphoid formations of the intestinal tract and in the lumen of the intestine, which creates conditions for the early contact of the massive dose of the antigen with immunocompetent cells and for the rapid development of systemic and local immune response. Morphological study indicates the presence of the rapid (24 hours) proliferative reaction of the cells making up the lymphoid apparatus of the intestine, their plasmocytic and macrophagal transformation. Thus, after the infection of voles with a mixture of live and killed bacteria the development of the early phases of the infectious process occurs simultaneously with the systemic and local transformation of the macroorganism, which contributes to the benevolent course of the infectious process in some of the animals.

Animals↗

[Detection of tularemia pathogens in patients with the use of an immunofluorescence reaction].

For the first time three cases of the detection of Francisella tularensis, made by means of the direct immunofluorescence test in the fluid obtained from punctured buboes or in purulent matter taken from patients with the ulcerous bubonic form of tularemia, are presented. The simplicity of the test and its capacity of yielding rapid results make it possible to recommend this test, together with other diagnostic methods, for the clinical diagnosis of tularemia.

Fluorescent Antibody Technique↗