title: Tularemia in Alaska, 1938 - 2010.
abstract: Tularemia is a serious, potentially life threatening zoonotic disease. The causative agent, Francisella tularensis, is ubiquitous in the Northern hemisphere, including Alaska, where it was first isolated from a rabbit tick (Haemophysalis leporis-palustris) in 1938. Since then, F. tularensis has been isolated from wildlife and humans throughout the state. Serologic surveys have found measurable antibodies with prevalence ranging from < 1% to 50% and 4% to 18% for selected populations of wildlife species and humans, respectively. We reviewed and summarized known literature on tularemia surveillance in Alaska and summarized the epidemiological information on human cases reported to public health officials. Additionally, available F. tularensis isolates from Alaska were analyzed using canonical SNPs and a multi-locus variable-number tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) system. The results show that both F. t. tularensis and F. t. holarctica are present in Alaska and that subtype A.I, the most virulent type, is responsible for most recently reported human clinical cases in the state.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 902 N, Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
authors.forename: Cristina M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Amy J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vogler
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Keim
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Karsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hueffer
mesh_terms: D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000382:microbiology*; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000382:microbiology*; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D011159:Population Surveillance; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000266:history*
references.citation: J Wildl Dis. 1987 Jan;23(1):77-85
references.pmid: 3029442
references.citation: J Hyg Epidemiol Microbiol Immunol. 1959;3:138-49
references.pmid: 14428832
references.citation: J Wildl Dis. 2004 Oct;40(4):632-8
references.pmid: 15650081
references.citation: West J Med. 1993 Jun;158(6):619-22
references.pmid: 8337864
references.citation: J Infect Dis. 1962 May-Jun;110:220-30
references.pmid: 14037319
references.citation: Emerg Infect Dis. 2011 May;17(5):794-9
references.pmid: 21529386
references.citation: Rev Sci Tech. 1998 Dec;17(3):756-66
references.pmid: 9850547
references.citation: Public Health Rep. 1946 Jun 14;61:875
references.pmid: 20987855
references.citation: Tech Rep Arct Aeromed Lab US. 1960 Jun;59-1:1-42
references.pmid: 14403045
references.citation: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2003 Jan;69(1):600-6
references.pmid: 12514047
references.citation: Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2010 Aug;60(Pt 8):1717-1718
references.pmid: 20688748
references.citation: Clin Infect Dis. 2009 Apr 1;48(7):863-70
references.pmid: 19245342
references.citation: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007 Jun;1105:1-29
references.pmid: 17395726
references.citation: Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2010 Aug;60(Pt 8):1887-1896
references.pmid: 19783615
references.citation: Can J Microbiol. 1969 Jan;15(1):47-55
references.pmid: 5765177
references.citation: J Bacteriol. 2009 Apr;191(8):2474-84
references.pmid: 19251856
references.citation: Can J Microbiol. 1974 Nov;20(11):1539-44
references.pmid: 4434260
references.citation: Int J Syst Evol Microbiol. 2010 Aug;60(Pt 8):1718-1720
references.pmid: 20688749
references.citation: Adv Vet Sci Comp Med. 1974;18(0):25-53
references.pmid: 4419176
references.citation: Can J Microbiol. 1974 Nov;20(11):1585-90
references.pmid: 4434261
references.citation: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007 Jun;1105:30-66
references.pmid: 17435120
references.citation: Nat Rev Microbiol. 2004 Dec;2(12):967-78
references.pmid: 15550942
references.citation: Lett Appl Microbiol. 2009 Jan;48(1):140-4
references.pmid: 19018964
references.citation: J Med Entomol. 2010 Jul;47(4):639-48
references.pmid: 20695280