tularemia

Tularemia is a rare infectious disease that affects the eyes, skin, lymph nodes and lungs Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis

The disease is mainly found in mammals, especially rodents, rabbits and guinea pigs. It can also be found in birds, sheep and domestic animals

Tularemia is spread in many ways, including insect bites and direct contact with an infected animal. Tularemia is a contagious and potentially fatal disease, but early antibiotic treatment can defeat the infection.

---

Tularemia does not occur naturally in humans and is not transmitted from person to person Tularemia occurs worldwide because many mammals, birds and insects are infected with the bacteria that cause it. The bacteria can survive for many weeks in soil, water and dead animals

Unlike most infectious diseases, tularemia has multiple routes of transmission The route of transmission determines the symptoms and their severity Ways of transmission of tularemia are:

• Insect bite Many insects, including ticks, transmit tularemia Tick ​​bites more often cause ulcerative-bubonic form
• Contact with a sick or dead animal Ulcer-bubonic tularemia can also be caused by the bite of an infected animal The bacteria enters the skin from the bite site, and an ulcer develops at the bite site The ocular-bubonic form of tularemia develops when a hand that has been in contact with an infected animal is brought to the eye.
• Airborne bacteria Bacteria in the soil can become airborne during yard maintenance or construction Inhalation of the bacteria will cause pneumonic tularemia Laboratory workers who work with tularemia are at increased risk of infection
• Contaminated food or drink Rarely, tularemia can develop from eating uncooked or raw food or drinking water contaminated with the infection. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems (abdominal tularemia)

High temperature kills F tularensis, which is why the meat when processed at the right temperature (73 8C) is safe

---

Ulcer-bubonic tularemia is the most common form of the disease. Its signs and symptoms are:

• Skin ulceration that develops at the site of infection
• Swollen and painful lymph nodes
• Fever
• Chills
• Headache
• Fatigue


Ocular-bubonic tularemia

This form affects the eyes and causes:


• eye pain
• redness of the eyes
• eye swelling and discharge
• ulcer inside the eyelid It damages the mouth, throat and digestive tract Signs and symptoms are:
  
  
  • Fever
  • Sore throat
  • Mouth ulcers
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Inflammation of lymph nodes
  • Neck lymph nodes
  
  Abdominal tularemia
  
  This rare and serious form causes the following signs and symptoms:
  
  
  • Fever
  • Severe general malaise
  • Vomiting and diarrhea