title: An overview: tularemia and travel medicine.
abstract: Tularemia is a bacterial zoonotic infection. The disease is endemic in most parts of the world, has been reported through the northern hemisphere between 30 and 71° N latitude. Francisella tularensis causes infection in a wide range of vertebrates (rodents, lagomorphs) and invertebrates (ticks, mosquitoes and other arthropods). Humans can acquire this infection through several routes including; a bite from an infected tick, deerfly or mosquito, contact with an infected animal or its dead body. It can also be spread to human by drinking contaminated water or breathing contaminated dirt or aerosol. Clinical manifestation of this disease varies depending on the biotype, inoculum and port of entry. Infection is potentially life threatening, but can effectively be treated with antibiotics. Travelers visiting rural and agricultural areas in endemic countries may be at greater risk. Appropriate clothing and use of insect repellants is essential to prevent tick borne illness. Travelers also should be aware of food and waterborne disease; avoid consuming potentially contaminated water and uncooked meat. Physicians should be aware of any clinical presentation of tularemia in the patients returning from endemic areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey. Electronic address: draysegululu@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Aysegul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ulu-Kilic
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey; Zoonoses Working Group of International Society of Chemotherapy (ZWG-ISC), United Kingdom. Electronic address: mdoganay@erciyes.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Doganay
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D007302:Insect Repellents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D014195:Travel; D057236:Travel Medicine; D014406:Tularemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007302:Insect Repellents
keywords: Francisella tularensis; Travel; Tularemia