During the last 40 y, 2 large tularaemia outbreaks occurred in Bulgaria. We report the second outbreak, in 1998--2003, including a total of 262 laboratory confirmed cases. The majority of the patients presented with oropharyngeal tularaemia (89.7%). Less common were the glandular, pulmonary and oculoglandular forms. The diagnosis of tularaemia was confirmed serologically. In 5 cases, F. tularensis was detected by immunofluorescent assay in lymph node biopsies. By PCR, all 5 samples yielded successful amplification of the tul4 gene and the feredoxin gene of F. tularensis. Cultivation of the biopsies resulted in 2 F. tularensis isolates. Three additional F. tularensis isolates were obtained from an open well, a dead hare and a tick. All 5 isolates were identified as F. tularensis subsp. holarctica seu palaearctica. F. tularensis was detected by PCR amplification of the tul4 gene in spleen samples from 9 (21%) of 42 captured rodents. Our study indicated food and water contamination by rodents as important sources of human infection. The high prevalence of the oropharyngeal form of tularaemia supported the assumption that humans contracted the infection by alimentary route.

These data show that there is room to improve both vaccination acceptance and advocacy rates in European HCWs, which would be expected to lead to higher rates of HCW vaccination. Benefits that could be expected from such an outcome are improved advocacy and better control of morbidity and mortality related to seasonal influenza infection.

Blastocystis spp pathogenic potential remains controversial. Recently, many researchers have suggested the possible etiological relationship between symptomatic skin rashes and Blastocystic morphological forms, genetic diversity and microbiota interaction. A small observation series of acute and chronic urticaria caused by Blastocystic hominis in elderly patients has been herein presented. These cases emphasize the importance of adequate parasite verification under appropriate clinical settings and upon elimination of other more common causative factors as well as the significance of proper etiological treatment in urticaria patients.