The great tularemia outbreak in Sivas: Evaluation of 205 cases

• Published in: Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease 2025-01, Vol.111 (1), p.116585, Article 116585
• Main Authors: Çakır Kıymaz, Yasemin, Bolat, Serkan, Katırcı, Bilge, Aldemir, Özlem, Altınkaya, Işık, Mustafa Özcan, Merdan, Hopoğlu, Serhat Murat, Öz, Murtaza, Keskin, Ertuğrul, Öksüz, Caner, Hasbek, Mürşit, Aksoy, Ahmet, Mahmutoğlu, Onur, Çelik Seyitoğlu, Duygu, Büyüktuna, Seyit Ali, Elaldi, Nazif
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Francisella tularensis; outbreak; tularemia; Turkey
• ISSN: 0732-8893; 1879-0070; 1879-0070
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2024.116585

This study aimed to report a tularemia outbreak in Sivas and describe the epidemiological and diagnostic characteristics of the patients. Patients aged 18 and over followed up with a diagnosis of tularemia in Sivas Cumhuriyet University Hospital, Sivas Numune State Hospital, and Sivas State Hospital Infectious Diseases Outpatient Clinics and wards between November 2023 and May 2024 were evaluated. 205 adult patients with tularemia were included. The most common symptoms were sore throat (73.2 %, n=150), swelling in the neck (70.2 %, n = 144), and fatigue (55.1 %, n = 113). The most common form was oropharyngeal (82.4 %, n = 169) and glandular (14.6 %, n = 30). Lymphadenopathy was detected in 182 (88.8 %) patients, the most is cervical lymphadenopathy (60 %, n = 123). Lymph node drainage/excision was performed on 50 patients (24.3 %). There have been no deaths in this outbreak. This study presents patient data from the tularemia outbreak in Sivas.