Airborne Tularemia in Sweden

Tularemia in Deer Mice (Peromyscus Maniculatus) During a Population Irruption in Saskatchewan, Canada

“…Humans have been infected with type B tularemia through contact with dead animals, contaminated food and water, ticks and biting insects, inhalation, and bite wounds (Bell, 1980;Ellis et al, 2002). Respiratory infection as a result of inhalation of dust occurred in buildings contaminated by rodent carcasses in Sweden (Dahlstrand et al, 1971;Tä rnvik et al, 2004) and in association with haying and threshing in Finland (Syrjä lä et al, 1985). During the investigation, several individuals volunteered that their dogs and cats caught many deer mice.…”

“…Examples include ''plagues'' of house mice (Mus musculus) in Australia (Pech et al, 2003) and irruptions of voles (Microtus spp.) in the western United States (Beck, 1958), Sweden (Dahlstrand et al, 1971), and Mongolia (Pech et al, 2003). Although little is known about the role of infectious disease in population changes among rodents (Begon, 2003), tularemia was diagnosed in voles found dead during irruptions of Microtus californicus in California in 1927 (Perry, 1928) and Microtus montanus in Oregon and California in 1957(Jellison et al, 1958.…”

“…Although little is known about the role of infectious disease in population changes among rodents (Begon, 2003), tularemia was diagnosed in voles found dead during irruptions of Microtus californicus in California in 1927 (Perry, 1928) and Microtus montanus in Oregon and California in 1957(Jellison et al, 1958. A sudden population decline, during which many voles (Microtus agrestis, Microtus raticeps) were found dead in hay storage barns, coincided with an outbreak of respiratory tularemia among farmers in Sweden (Dahlstrand et al, 1971). Tularemia was suspected to have caused the decline of a Microtus canicaudus population in Oregon (Wolff and Edge, 2003).…”

Tularemia

“…Examples include occasional large epidemics of tularemia among agriculturists as a result of processing grain or stacked hay contaminated by voles and other rodents, 32,128,191 contamination of public-water supplies, 25 and infection of workers in a sugar beet processing plant from water spray contaminated with F. tularensis.…”

“…Outside of the laboratory, large outbreaks associated with handling F. tularensis-contaminated hay have occurred in rural communities of Scandinavia and in other countries. 128 Francisella tularensis-laden aerosols are developed by handling infected dead animals, examining pets with respiratory infections, and from handling agar plates on which the organism has been isolated. 129 Clinical symptoms are highly variable, as is the course and severity of disease.…”