Tularemia
- Chad Wickard - Libby Hurley
Where was the pathogen first identified?
- Tulare County, California
- discovered by Dr. Edwards Francis
Forms of Tularemia:
Ulceroglandular Tularemia
Oculoglandular Tularemia
Oropharyngeal Tularemia
- most common
- usually appears after tick, deer, or fly bite
- skin ulcer appears
- accompanied by swelling of lymph glands
> Glandular:
- very similar to ulcerograndular, with no ulcer
- acquired the same way as ulcerograndular
- handling sick/ dead animals
> Oculoglandular:
- occurs when bacteria enter through the eye
- irritation/ inflammation of eye
- swelling lymph glands in front of ear
> Oropharyngeal:
- results from eating and drinking contaminated water
- sore throat, mouth ulcers, tonsillitis
- swelling of lymph glands neck
> Pneumonic:
- most serious form
- results from breathing dusts or aerosols containing the organisms
- cough, chest pain, difficulty breathing
How is the disease spread?
- no reports of human to human transmission
- tick or deer fly bites
- handling dead animals that have the bacteria (hunting)
- inhaling dusts (farming, landscaping)
How is the disease treated?
- streptomycin, gentamicin, doxyclycline, ciprofloxacin
> lasts 10- 21 days
> most patients completely recover
What steps can be taken to prevent contracting Tularemia?
- wearing clothes that cover your body properly
- don't drinking untreated surface water
- consider the use of dust masks
- don't mow over dead animals
- wear gloves when handling dead animals
- cook meat thoroughly
What else should I know about Tularemia?
Survival Rate
> when treated, the death rate is less than 2%
> without treatment, 30-60% may die
Bioterrorism Uses
> WHO (World Health Organization) estimates 50 kilos released in a populated city of 5 million, would cause 250,000 illnesses and 19,000 deaths
> special precautions must be taken to prepare for a Tularemia attack
First Emergence
> since then, there was an outbreak November 2001 in the country of Kosovo