Tularemia outbreak at a metropolitan airport, Texas. 2009

J Rush Pierce, and Thomas S Gerald, and Theresa A West, and James L Alexander, and Todd E Bell, and Deree Duke, and J Matthew Richardson
Department of Internal Medicine, New Mexico University School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA. jrpierce@salud.unm.edu

A jackrabbit die-off near a metropolitan airport was observed by an airport contractor. Further investigation determined that this die-off was probably due to epizootic tularemia. Because of proximity to areas of heavy human traffic and fears of transmission of tularemia to humans, the local health district and department of emergency management organized a multiagency response involving local animal control, environmental health, public health, law enforcement, and airport personnel, in addition to state and federal agencies. The tularemia epizootic subsequently ended, and no cases of human tularemia occurred. In our after-action analysis, we identified several lessons learned: the importance of animal illness surveillance, which can serve as a warning for potential human illness and epidemic; the usefulness of pre-event planning, training, and exercises in facilitating a coordinated response; the usefulness of an effective communication system with the healthcare community; the importance of responders being familiar with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Category A bioterrorism agents when considering a rapid response; and the fact that attempts at environmental control may result in perturbations in animal populations with unintended consequences.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011634 Public Health Branch of medicine concerned with the prevention and control of disease and disability, and the promotion of physical and mental health of the population on the international, national, state, or municipal level. Community Health,Environment, Preventive Medicine & Public Health,Environment, Preventive Medicine and Public Health,Health, Community,Health, Public
D004189 Disaster Planning Procedures outlined for the care of casualties and the maintenance of services in disasters. Disaster Management,Emergency Preparedness,Disaster Relief Planning,Management, Disaster,Planning, Disaster,Planning, Disaster Relief,Preparedness, Emergency,Relief Planning, Disaster
D004196 Disease Outbreaks Sudden increase in the incidence of a disease. The concept includes EPIDEMICS and PANDEMICS. Outbreaks,Infectious Disease Outbreaks,Disease Outbreak,Disease Outbreak, Infectious,Disease Outbreaks, Infectious,Infectious Disease Outbreak,Outbreak, Disease,Outbreak, Infectious Disease,Outbreaks, Disease,Outbreaks, Infectious Disease
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013781 Texas State bounded on the north by Oklahoma, on the east by Arkansas and Louisiana, on the south by Mexico, and on the west by New Mexico.
D014406 Tularemia A plague-like disease of rodents, transmissible to man. It is caused by FRANCISELLA TULARENSIS and is characterized by fever, chills, headache, backache, and weakness. Francisella tularensis Infection,Francisella tularensis Infections,Infection, Francisella tularensis,Tularemias
D015047 Zoonoses Diseases of non-human animals that may be transmitted to HUMANS or may be transmitted from humans to non-human animals. Zoonotic Spillover,Zoonotic Diseases,Zoonotic Infections,Zoonotic Infectious Diseases,Disease, Zoonotic,Disease, Zoonotic Infectious,Diseases, Zoonotic,Diseases, Zoonotic Infectious,Infection, Zoonotic,Infections, Zoonotic,Infectious Disease, Zoonotic,Infectious Diseases, Zoonotic,Spillovers, Zoonotic,Zoonotic Disease,Zoonotic Infection,Zoonotic Infectious Disease,Zoonotic Spillovers
D034621 Hares The genus Lepus, in the family Leporidae, order LAGOMORPHA. Hares are born above ground, fully furred, and with their eyes and ears open. In contrast with RABBITS, hares have 24 chromosome pairs. Jackrabbits,Lepus,Hare,Jackrabbit

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