title: Laboratory analysis of tularemia in wild-trapped, commercially traded prairie dogs, Texas, 2002.
abstract: Oropharyngeal tularemia was identified as the cause of a die-off in captured wild prairie dogs at a commercial exotic animal facility in Texas. From this point source, Francisella tularensis-infected prairie dogs were traced to animals distributed to the Czech Republic and to a Texas pet shop. F. tularensis culture isolates were recovered tissue specimens from 63 prairie dogs, including one each from the secondary distribution sites. Molecular and biochemical subtyping indicated that all isolates were F. tularensis subsp. holarctica (Type B). Microagglutination assays detected antibodies against F. tularensis, with titers as great as 1:4,096 in some live animals. All seropositive animals remained culture positive, suggesting that prairie dogs may act as chronic carriers of F. tularensis. These findings demonstrate the need for additional studies of tularemia in prairie dogs, given the seriousness of the resulting disease, the fact that prairie dogs are sold commercially as pets, and the risk for pet-to-human transmission.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic and Reference Section, Bacterial Zoonoses Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PO Box 2087, Rampart Road, Foothills Campus, Fort Collins, CO 80522, USA. nzp0@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Jeannine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Martin E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Schriefer
authors.forename: Leon G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Carter
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Tara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sealy
authors.forename: Darcy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bawiec
authors.forename: Brook
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yockey
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urich
authors.forename: Nordin S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Zeidner
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avashia
authors.forename: Jacob L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kool
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Buck
authors.forename: Connie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lindley
authors.forename: Leos
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Celeda
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Monteneiri
authors.forename: Kenneth L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Gage
authors.forename: May C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D012589:Sciuridae; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial