Waterborne Outbreak of Tularemia Associated with Crayfish Fishing

Abstract

In 1997, an outbreak of human tularemia associated with hare-hunting in central Spain affected 585 patients. We describe the identification of Francisella tularensis biovar palaearctica in a second outbreak of ulceroglandular tularemia associated with crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) fishing in a contaminated freshwater stream distant from the hare-associated outbreak. The second outbreak occurred 1 year after the first.

Keywords

• tularemia
• outbreak
• crayfish
• Francisella tularensis palearctica
• Spainz
• United States