Hare-to-human transmission of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica, Germany

Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 Jan;21(1):153-5. doi: 10.3201/eid2101.131837.

Abstract

In November 2012, a group of 7 persons who participated in a hare hunt in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, acquired tularemia. Two F. tularensis subsp. holarctica isolates were cultivated from human and hare biopsy material. Both isolates belonged to the FTN002-00 genetic subclade (derived for single nucleotide polymorphisms B.10 and B.18), thus indicating likely hare-to-human transmission.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Francisella tularensis / genetics*
  • Genes, Bacterial
  • Germany
  • Hares / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
  • Tularemia / microbiology
  • Tularemia / transmission*
  • Zoonoses