Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of tularemia in Oklahoma, 1979 to 1985

Barton W. Rohrbach Dr., University of Tennessee - Knoxville
E Westerman
G R. Istre

Abstract

[The authors] studied the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of tularemia in 165 Oklahomans from 1979 to 1985. The ulceroglandular form of the disease was most common (60%), followed by typhoidal (18%), glandular (15%), oropharyngeal (7%), and oculoglandular (1%) forms. The male-female ratio was 3.7:1, and the highest rates of disease were found in the age groups 5 to 14, 35 to 44, and 55 to 74. Ticks were most frequently implicated as the source of infection (84/154 [55%]), followed by rabbits, (58/154 [38%]). Seventy percent of the patients were hospitalized, and 4 (2.5%) died. The annual number of patients who reported that rabbits were their probable source of exposure to Francisella tularensis and the estimated number of rabbits harvested (i.e. killed by hunters) for the year correlated closely with the total number of cases reported from year to year. epidemiological characteristics of tularaemia were studied in 165 patients from Oklahoma seen between 1979 and 1985. The ulceroglandular form of the disease was most common (60%), followed by typhoidal (18%), glandular (15%), oropharyngeal (7%), and oculoglandular (1%) forms. Ticks were most frequently implicated as the source of infection (84 of 154 cases; 54%), followed by rabbits (58 of 154 cases; 38%). The annual number of patients who reported that rabbits were their probable source of exposure to Francisella tularensis and the estimated number of rabbits killed by hunters for the year correlated closely with the total number of cases reported from year to year. [The authors] studied the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of tularemia in 165 Oklahomans from 1979 to 1985. The ulceroglandular form of the disease was most common (60%), followed by typhoidal (18%), glandular (15%), oropharyngeal (7%), and oculoglandular (1%) forms. The male-female ratio was 3.7:1, and the highest rates of disease were found in the age groups 5 to 14, 35 to 44, and 55 to 74. Ticks were most frequently implicated as the source of infection (84/154 [55%]), followed by rabbits, (58/154 [38%]). Seventy percent of the patients were hospitalized, and 4 (2.5%) died. The annual number of patients who reported that rabbits were their probable source of exposure to Francisella tularensis and the estimated number of rabbits harvested (i.e. killed by hunters) for the year correlated closely with the total number of cases reported from year to year.