- tularemia
- A disease caused by Francisella tularensis and transmitted to humans from rodents through the bite of a deer fly, Chrysops discalis, and other bloodsucking insects; can also be acquired directly through the bite of an infected animal or through handling of an infected animal carcass; symptoms, similar to those of undulant fever and plague, are a prolonged intermittent or remittent fever and often swelling and suppuration of the lymph node s draining the site of infection; rabbits are an important reservoir host. SYN: deer-fly disease, deer-fly fever, Pahvant Valley fever, Pahvant Valley plague, rabbit fever. [Tulare, Lake and County, CA, + G. haima, blood]
* * *
tu·la·re·mia or chiefly Brit tu·la·rae·mia .t(y)ü-lə-'rē-mē-ə n an infectious disease esp. of wild rabbits, rodents, humans, and some domestic animals that is caused by a bacterium (Francisella tularensis), is transmitted esp. by the bites of insects, and in humans is marked by symptoms (as fever) of toxemia called also rabbit fevertu·la·re·mic or chiefly Brit tu·la·rae·mic -mik adj* * *
tu·la·re·mia (too″lə-reґme-ə) [Tulare County, California, where it was first described in 1911] a plaguelike, zoonotic disease caused by infection with the bacillus Francisella tularensis, whose hosts include sheep and various species of lagomorphs and rodents such as rabbits, squirrels, and muskrats. It is transmitted by the bites of deerflies, fleas, and ticks; by contact with contaminated animals or their products; by inhalation of aerosolized F. tularensis; and by ingestion of contaminated food or water. In addition to a marked reaction at the portal of entry of the pathogen, which has led to classification of the various forms of tularemia, most cases are characterized by abrupt onset of fever, chills, weakness, headache, backache, and malaise. Called also deer fly, Pahvant Valley, or rabbit fever and Francis disease. tularemic adj
Medical dictionary. 2011.
