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Tularemia outbreak, Bulgaria, 1997-2005.
Todor Kantardjiev1, Ivan Ivanov, Tzvetan Velinov
1National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, Sofia, Bulgaria. kantardj@ncipd.netbg.com
Emerging Infectious Diseases
|May 18, 2006
Summary
A 1997-2005 tularemia outbreak in Bulgaria impacted 285 individuals. Genetic analysis suggests a novel variant of the bacterium Francisella tularensis was responsible for this significant public health event.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Epidemiology
- Genetics
Background:
- Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis.
- Outbreaks can pose significant public health challenges.
- Understanding the genetic basis of bacterial strains is crucial for disease control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic characteristics of Francisella tularensis strains during a 1997-2005 Bulgarian outbreak.
- To identify potential genetic factors contributing to the outbreak's emergence and scale.
Main Methods:
- Isolation and characterization of ten bacterial strains from human and environmental sources.
- Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) typing was used for genetic analysis.
- Comparison of outbreak strains with historical isolates.
Main Results:
- The 1997-2005 outbreak affected 285 people in Bulgaria.
- Ten strains were isolated from humans, a tick, a hare, and water.
- AFLP typing indicated that a new genetic variant of Francisella tularensis likely caused the outbreak, distinct from a 1962 isolate.
Conclusions:
- A novel genetic variant of Francisella tularensis was identified as the causative agent of the 1997-2005 Bulgarian tularemia outbreak.
- This finding highlights the potential for new variants to emerge and cause significant disease.
- Further research into the genetic diversity of Francisella tularensis is warranted for effective disease surveillance and prevention.