Tweet
Archive Number 20091207.4167
Published Date 07-DEC-2009
Subject PRO/AH/EDR> Tularemia, laboratory-acquired - USA: (MD)
TULAREMIA, LABORATORY-ACQUIRED - USA: (MARYLAND)
************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Fri 4 Dec 2009
Source: Science Insider, American Association for the Advancement of
Science (AAAS) [edited]
<http://blogs.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2009/12/researcher-at-a.html>
A researcher at the United States Army Medical Research Institute of
Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) in Frederick, Maryland, has contracted
tularemia, also known as rabbit fever. USAMRIID officials announced
today, 4 Dec 2009. The illness is caused by the bacterium
_Francisella tularensis_, one of several biosafety level 3 pathogens
that scientists work with at USAMRIID.
The researcher, a woman who was working on a project to develop a
vaccine against the disease, is "recuperating at home and is
responding well to antimicrobial therapy," according to a press
release issued by the institute.
Rabbits, rodents, and other animals harbor the microbe. Nearly 200
cases of tularemia in the USA are reported to the CDC every year;
most of them are caused by bites from ticks and flies and from
handling animals infected from the disease. The illness can also be
contracted by inhaling airborne bacteria in the lab.
"We want to reassure the Frederick and Fort Detrick communities that
this disease is not spread from person to person," USAMRIID Commander
John P Skvorak said in a statement. "Our immediate concern is to make
sure our employee is receiving the appropriate medical care.
Secondly, we are working to determine how she may have been infected
and to ensure that no one else has been affected. Laboratory-acquired
infections are rare, but if they do occur, we need to review our
procedures to minimize future incidents."
[Byline: Yudhijit Bhattacharjee]
--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>
[ProMED-mail has reported laboratory-related exposures and infections
with most of the Category A biowarfare pathogens as documented below.
The form of tularemia is not stated in the posting. If pneumonic,
oral, or ocular disease occurred, the exposure was likely to have
been via aerosol and if ulcerative or ulceroglandular occurred, a
needle stick source would be suspected. - Mod.LL]
[The state of Maryland in the Mid Atlantic region of the United
States can be seen on the HealthMap/ProMED-mail interactive map at
<http://healthmap.org/r/00*Y>. - Sr.Tech.Ed.MJ]