Tularaemia transmitted by ticks (Dermacentor andersoni) in Saskatchewan

Common wood ticks (Dermacentor andersoni) collected from Saskatchewan Landing Provincial Park, Saskatchewan in the spring of 1982 transmitted a lethal tularaemia infection to four of six rabbits. Francisella tularensis organisms were isolated from tissues taken from the dead rabbits and identified from subcultures using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody assay. One human associated with the animals developed symptoms of tularaemia and, after successful therapy, had a significant increase in titre of specific antibodies to F. tularensis. This is the first time tick-transmitted tularaemia has been reported in Saskatchewan in more than 25 years.