The Spread of Tularemia through Water, as a New Factor in Its Epidemiology

Abstract

Rodents are the chief sources of infection of tularemia and the reservoir of its virus in the external world. The r6le of the water-rat, which, in the U. S. S. R., is the principal source of tularemic infection for man is well known. In the United States the same part is played by the wild rabbit. In the U. S. S. R. the r6le of the hare, rabbit, and mouse,-in Norway, that of the wild rat-has been proved. Other rodents may serve as reservoirs of virus, for instance: Apidemus silvaticu8, Ondatra zibethica, Didelphi8 virginiana, Marmota flaviventer, Marmota bobac, Microtm ilaeu8, gerbitu8 tamarcnu8, Citelu8 beecheyi Rich., Citellu8 pygmeu Pall, Microtu8 call/ornwcu8-aestuarinus, etc. Animals that do not belong to the rodent-class, such as oppos-sums, foxes, and lemmings, have also been recorded as sources of infection. The modes by which tularemia spreads from these sources of infection are also being carefully investigated. Contact with water-rats while hunting or flaying them has been well studied in the U. S. S. R. (Zarhy, Hatanever, Golov, Volfertz, Suvorov, Voronkova, Gauzner, Belitzer, Kniazevsky, Berdnikov, Tiflov and others). In the United States contact with wild rabbits during skinning and especially during the preparation of their carcasses is the cause of infection in 61 per cent of cases (Francis).