[Results of the study of bird droppings collected in the Lithuanian SSR for the purpose of searching out tularemia epizootics].
There are practically no records of cases of tularemia among humans in the Lithuanian SSR. Nevertheless, the mass sero-allergic survey of the population for tularemia, carried out 10-12 years ago, showed that 2.3% of the adult population in the Republic had had contacts with the causative agent of this infection. The work was aimed at the determination of the present activity of the foci of tularemia. During 6 years in 22 rural districts 2582 samples of avian excrements, containing bones and wool of small animals, were collected and studied by means of the antibody neutralization test (ANT). In 132 (5.1 +/- 0.4%) excrement samples collected on the territory of 12 districts Francisella tularensis antigen was detected. The average ANT titer was 45.2, the maximum titer (10 excrement samples) reached 1: 160. The study revealed the existence of the natural foci of tularemia in Lithuania at present, but their activity proved to be low. The most unfavorable situation was found to exist in western districts of the Republic.
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D001717:Birds; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004463:Ecology; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania; D008372:Manure / Q000032:analysis*; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D008372:Manure
Rezul'taty issledovaniia pogadok ptits, sobrannykh na territorii Litovskoĭ SSR s tsel'iu poiska épizootiĭ tuliaremii.