Tularemia in children

Solmaz Celebi1, Mustafa Hacimustafaoglu, Suna Gedikoglu

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Uludag University Medical Faculty, Gorukle, Bursa, Turkey. solmaz@uludag.edu.tr

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|September 24, 2008
PubMed

Insights

An outbreak of tularemia in Bursa, Turkey, primarily affected children with oropharyngeal symptoms. This waterborne bacterial infection, caused by Francisella tularensis, was successfully treated in all pediatric cases.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Tularemia, caused by Francisella tularensis, presents diagnostic and treatment challenges.
  • Understanding tularemia epidemics is crucial for public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a tularemia epidemic in Bursa, Turkey.
  • To specifically evaluate pediatric cases during the outbreak.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of pediatric tularemia cases.
  • Diagnosis based on clinical presentation and serological testing.

Main Results:

  • A 2004 epidemic in Bursa involved 70 individuals, including 10 children.
  • Oropharyngeal tularemia was the predominant form in pediatric cases (70%).
  • All pediatric patients recovered without complications, with most over 10 treated with doxycycline.

Conclusions:

  • The tularemia epidemic in Bursa was likely waterborne.
  • Inadequately treated water served as the source of infection.
Abstract

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