CASE REPORT
Increasing role of arthropod bites in tularaemia transmission in Poland – case reports and diagnostic methods
 
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1
National Institute of Public Health- National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Bacteriology, Warsaw, Poland
 
2
Pomeranian Medical University, Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Szczecin, Poland
 
3
Medical University of Warsaw, Clinic of Pulmonology and Allergology of Children, Warsaw, Poland
 
4
Independent Public Provincial Hospital, Clinic of Observation Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Szczecin, Poland
 
5
Independent Public Central Clinical Hospital, Clinic of General Surgery and Chest Disease, Warsaw Poland
 
 
Corresponding author
Kamila Formińska   

National Institute of Public Health- National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Bacteriology, Warsaw, Poland
 
 
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2015;22(3):443-446
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The study describes four cases of tularaemia – one developed after contact with rabbits and three developed after an arthropod bite. Due to non-specific clinical symptoms, accurate diagnosis of tularaemia may be difficult. The increasing contribution of the arthropod vectors in the transmission of the disease indicates that special effort should be made to apply sensitive and specific diagnostic methods for tularaemia, and to remind health-care workers about this route of Francisella tularensis infections. The advantages and disadvantages of various diagnostic methods – molecular, serological and microbiological culture – are discussed. The PCR as a rapid and proper diagnostic method for ulceroglandular tularaemia is presented.
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ISSN:1232-1966
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