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Tularemia |
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Recognition |
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Tularemia, also known as "rabbit fever" or
"deer fly fever," is caused by the Francisella
tularensis bacterium. As few as 10 of these organisms can cause the
disease. Humans become infected through a variety of environmental exposures.
Exposure may lead to a severe and sometimes fatal illness. The following
references aid in recognizing disease characteristics and hazards associated
with tularemia.
Disease Recognition
- Tularemia.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agents, Diseases, & Other
Threats, (2003, May 28). Offers fact sheets and overviews,
information about infection control, laboratory testing, and surveillance
and investigations.
- Tularemia
Outbreak in Prairie Dogs in Texas. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), Office of Communications, (2002, August 6). Covers the
investigation by officials from the CDC and the Texas Department of Health
of an outbreak of tularemia in wild prairie dogs at a commercial facility in
Texas that distributes the animals in the United States and other countries.
- Tularemia
- United States, 1990-2000. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 51(09):182-4, (2002,
March 8). Covers reported cases of
tularemia occurring in the United States from 1990-2000. Also provides background
information on tularemia including symptoms and diagnosis.
- Tularemia. University of
Minnesota (UM), Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). Provides links the latest news and information available about
tularemia.
- Tularemia.
MedlinePlus Health Information, (2002, August 14). Includes
illustrations, definitions, disease causes, incidence, and risk factors.
- Hornick, R. "Tularemia
Revisited." New England Journal of Medicine
345(2001, November 29): 1637-1639. Covers basic information about tularemia
and presents a review of recent outbreaks in the United States.
- Current
Description of Tularemia. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA),
Department of Epidemiology, (2001). Provides a description of tularemia, including its occurrence and
mode of transmission.
Bioterrorist Threat Evaluation
On September 11, 2001, following the terrorist incidents
in New York City and Washington, DC, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) recommended heightened surveillance for any unusual disease
occurrence or increased numbers of illnesses that might be associated with
intentional release of a biological agent.
Tularemia, in aerosol form, is considered a possible bioterrorism agent.
Although it is not easy to disseminate, it takes only a small amount of inhaled
bacterium to cause infection. The following references provide information about
evaluating the threat of tularemia as a biological weapon.
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