Serologic evidence of human infection by Francisella tularensis in the population of Castilla y León (Spain) prior to 1997.
Prior to an outbreak in Castilla y León in December 1997, tularaemia was practically non-existent in Spain. In this paper we studied the prevalence of antibodies against Francisella tularensis in a representative sample of the population (4825 people) from Castilla y León (Spain) in samples collected before this outbreak. Antibodies against F. tularensis were detected in nine (0.19%) of the 4825 sera, with antibody titres ranging from 1/20 to 1/160. Of these nine sera, one was positive in seroagglutination against Brucella. Seroagglutination against other bacteria (Yersinia enterocolitica O:9 and O:3 and Proteus OX19) was negative in all sera. Seroprevalence of antibodies in females was 0.20% and 0.17% in males; no statistically significant differences were found in prevalence in terms of sex, age or province.
Gutiérrez
María P
MP
Departamento de Microbiologia, Hospital Clinico Universitario, Facultad de Medicina Area de Microbiologia, Ramón y Cajal 7, 47005 Valladolid, Spain.
Bratos
Miguel A
MA
Garrote
Jose I
JI
Dueñas
Ana
A
Almaraz
Ana
A
Alamo
Rufino
R
Rodríguez Marcos
Henar
H
Rodríguez Recio
María J
MJ
Muñoz
María F
MF
Orduña
Antonio
A
Rodríguez-Torres
Antonio
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial