Re-emergence of tularemia in Turkey

Abstract

Four tularemia epidemics were reported from three different regions of Turkey between 1936 and 1953. After a long interval, a new tularemia epidemic was reported from the area around Bursa in the northwestern part of Turkey in 1988. Following this first epidemic in Bursa, small epidemics occurred in areas around Bursa between 1988 and 2002. Other tularemia epidemics in different regions of Turkey were reported between 1988 and 2005. Almost all of the cases involved the oropharyngeal form of the disease. However, ulceroglandular and oculoglandular forms were detected in the Bursa epidemics; all of the ulceroglandular cases had dermatitis on their hands. To date, 1300 cases have been serologically confirmed. We reviewed one of the biggest tularemia epidemics in Europe.