Tularemia is considered to have existed in Anatolia for several thousand years. There are suspicions regarding its use in biological warfare in the Neshite-Arzawan conflict. The causative agent of tularemia may have first been used as a biological weapon in 1320-1318 BC. The disease has recently become a significant re-emerging disease globally as well as in Turkey. In the period of 2001-2010, ...

Francisella tularensis, a highly infectious bacterium, is the causative agent of Tularemia (rabbit fever). Categorized by Center for Disease Control and Prevention as Category A bioterrorism agent, tularensis highest level concern. Previously, we identified that dillapiole, compound extracted from fennel, dampens F. virulence gene expression. While having no apparent effect on viability treatme...

This study describes the clinical characteristics of tularemia in Spain's first epidemic outbreak and the therapeutic response and compares the efficacy of 3 antibiotics (streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, and doxycycline). For 142 cases of tularemia, the therapeutic failure rate was 22.5%; ciprofloxacin was the antibiotic with the lowest percentage of therapeutic failures and with the fewest side ef...

Tularemia in humans in northwestern Spain is associated with increases in vole populations. Prevalence of infection with Francisella tularensis in common voles increased to 33% during a vole population fluctuation. This finding confirms that voles are spillover agents for zoonotic outbreaks. Ecologic interactions associated with tularemia prevention should be considered.

Tularemia in the United States was examined by reviewing 106 Francisella tularensis isolates, mostly from Nebraska, collected during 1998-2012: 48% of Nebraska cases were cat-associated; 7/8 human cases were caused by subtype A.I. A vaccine is needed to reduce feline-associated tularemia, and cat owners should protect against bites/scratches and limit their pet's outdoor access.

In 1997, an outbreak of human tularemia associated with hare-hunting in central Spain affected 585 patients. We describe the identification of Francisella tularensis biovar palaearctica in a second outbreak of ulceroglandular tularemia associated with crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) fishing in a contaminated freshwater stream distant from the hare-associated outbreak. The second outbreak occurre...

A pregnant woman who had oropharyngeal tularemia underwent treatment with azithromycin and lymph node resection and recovered without obstetrical complication or infection in the child. Azithromycin represents a first-line treatment option for tularemia during pregnancy in regions where the infecting strains of Francisella tularensis have no natural resistance to macrolides.