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Article: Another agent of bio-terrorism: tularemia.
- Article from:
- Oklahoma Nurse
- Article date:
- September 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Oklahoma Nurses Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Background:
Tularemia (also known as rabbit or deerfly fever) is an acquired bacterial illness that is typically transmitted to humans after skin or mucous membrane exposure to infected animals including rabbits, muskrats, beavers, hares, voles, and various hard ticks. (CDC 2006; OSDH 2005). Tularemia, Francisella tularensis is a small non-motile gram negative coccobacillus that can survive for weeks at low temperatures in water, soil, vegetation, and decaying animal carcasses. Transmission can normally occur by insect vector, inoculation of oropharyngeal or conjunctival tissue with contaminated water, by blood or tissue while skinning animals, or by inhalation ...