The role of birds in dissemination of Francisella tularensis: first direct molecular evidence for bird-to-human transmission.
During a recent large tularemia outbreak in Bulgaria we found several cases that were remote from the main focus. One case had an unusual mode of transmission. A hunter acquired tularemia through a nail scratch from a buzzard (Buteo buteo) and consequently developed a typical ulceroglandular form of the disease. The diagnosis was confirmed by serological methods and successful cultivation. Comparative strain typing was performed by high-resolution multi-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). The isolated strain was identical to one of the outbreak genotypes. We consider that this case represents a bird-to-human transmission of F. tularensis.
Padeshki
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PI
National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Microbiology Department, Sofia, Bulgaria. ppadeshki@yahoo.com
Ivanov
I N
IN
Popov
B
B
Kantardjiev
T V
TV
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002031:Bulgaria / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000235:genetics*; D006724:Hoof and Claw; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D020304:Raptors; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D015047:Zoonoses