[A persistent inflammatory adenopathy… think about tularemia].

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Epidemiology
• Public Health

Background:

• Tularemia (Francisella tularensis) is a zoonotic bacterial infection with increasing incidence in Europe.
• Geographic expansion and a near tripling of reported cases in Switzerland (2014-2023) highlight a growing public health concern.
• Transmission occurs through various routes including arthropod vectors, direct contact, inhalation, or ingestion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on tularemia.
• To offer practical recommendations for the clinical management of tularemia.
• To illustrate management strategies with a real-life clinical case.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on tularemia epidemiology, transmission, and clinical presentation.
• Analysis of reported tularemia case incidence trends in Switzerland.
• Case study presentation of a tularemia patient.

Main Results:

• Significant geographic expansion of tularemia in Europe observed.
• Switzerland experienced a near tripling of reported tularemia cases between 2014 and 2023.
• The ulcero-glandular form is most common in Europe; prompt antibiotic therapy is essential.

Conclusions:

• Tularemia poses an increasing threat in Europe, necessitating heightened awareness and surveillance.
• Effective management relies on timely diagnosis, targeted antibiotic therapy, and preventive measures.
• Understanding transmission routes and clinical manifestations is key to controlling the spread of tularemia.