Tularemia: the disease and the weapon.

Department of Dermatology, Naval Hospital Great Lakes, 3001A Sixth Street, Great Lakes, IL 60088, USA. sdcronquist@NHGL.med.navy.mil

Tularemia is a bacterial infection usually transmitted via arthropod vectors or direct contact with infected animals. Naturally occurring cases are relatively rare, and can result in six different clinical syndromes. Tularemia is also a potential agent of bioterrorism or biowarfare, and is categorized as a high-level threat. Effective antibiotic treatment is available, including potential use of oral antibiotics in a mass casualty situation. An awareness of potential clinical presentations of tularemia will facilitate timely intervention,appropriate diagnostic testing, and decreased morbidity in the event of a biologic attack with Francisella tularensis.

PMID: 15207312 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]