title: Increasing role of arthropod bites in tularaemia transmission in Poland - case reports and diagnostic methods.
abstract: The study describes four cases of tularaemia - one developed after contact with rabbits and three developed after an arthropod bite. Due to non-specific clinical symptoms, accurate diagnosis of tularaemia may be difficult. The increasing contribution of the arthropod vectors in the transmission of the disease indicates that special effort should be made to apply sensitive and specific diagnostic methods for tularaemia, and to remind health-care workers about this route of Francisella tularensis infections. The advantages and disadvantages of various diagnostic methods - molecular, serological and microbiological culture - are discussed. The PCR as a rapid and proper diagnostic method for ulceroglandular tularaemia is presented.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health- National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Bacteriology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Formińska
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health- National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Bacteriology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Zasada
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health- National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Bacteriology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rastawicki
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health- National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Bacteriology, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Śmietańska
authors.affiliation: Pomeranian Medical University, Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bander
authors.affiliation: Pomeranian Medical University, Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wawrzynowicz-Syczewska
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Warsaw, Clinic of Pulmonology and Allergology of Children, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Mariya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yanushevych
authors.affiliation: Independent Public Provincial Hospital, Clinic of Observation Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Szczecin, Poland.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Niścigórska-Olsen
authors.affiliation: Independent Public Central Clinical Hospital, Clinic of General Surgery and Chest Disease, Warsaw Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wawszczak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001179:Arthropod Vectors / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014406:Tularemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000635:transmission*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents