Tularemia
Tularemia (fever of the rabbit) is a zoonótica bacterial disease caused by the Francisella tularensis, coccobacillus. The cat and other mascots can get in special situations to be vectors (SINGLE TRANSMITTERS) of the disease without presenting/displaying symptoms or suffering of the same one.
The bacteria that cause tularemia find generally in natural animal form like: rabbits, hares, red deers, and rodents.
The human beings can contract the disease of the following way:
* Direct bonding with an infected animal or its corpse through a wound in the skin
* Drinking water contaminated and/or when eating infected meat (specially rabbits and red deers).
* Through the mordedura of an infected insect (example: the garrapatas of red deers, flies of red deers).
* Dust inhalation of ground, the contaminated grain or the hay.
* The human beings can also acquire tularemia in respiratory form (breathing) in the eventuality of the intentional liberation of the bacteria in a bioterrorista attack.
THE TULAREMIA IS NOT TRANSMITTED DIRECTLY OF PERSON TO PERSON.
The period of incubation of the disease extends from 1 to 21 days, and the symptoms generally appear 3 to 5 days after the exhibition to the bacteria.
Symptoms and signs
This pathology will cause generally a variety of clinical manifestations in human beings:
* Tifoidal
* Ulcerante
* Neumónica
Tularemia tifoidal implies generally a febrile state (producing fever) that it includes: fever, malaise, headache, weakening, cough, sore throat, nauseas, vomits, diarrea.
The infection can progress to a séptica infection (bacteria in the sanguineous circulation) if the treatment does not begin in immediate form.
Tularemia ulcerante is generally contracted with the manipulation of shells animals and by-products contaminated with the bacterium, and it is pronounced generally with painful injuries in the skin (ulcers) and can imply complications in the superior respiratory apparatus (including: faringitis, tonsillitis, etc.)
Tularemia neumónica is caused by the inhalation of the bacteria directly (in the case of an intentional liberation in a bioterrorista attack) or by secondary transmission of contaminated gotitas of animals or infected by-products of the animal.
The disease happens generally with a hasty beginning of fever and mialgia with a dry cough, pain throat, is generally, present and severe and the disease can progress quickly to one pulmonía burdens with respiratory unemployment.
Diagnosis
Tularemia can be diagnosed by means of the direct microscopic clinical specimen inspection using fluorescent antibodies, and it is possible to be cultivated in special microbial means, also are possible to be made sanguineous examinations (blood) for the detection of the antibodies produced by the presence of the bacteria of tularemia.
Bibliography
Author: MV Adelaida A. Goldman