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Tularemia
Tularemia spreads in many ways This disease is caused by bacterium
Francis Ella tularemia
Symptoms
Symptoms of tularemia
vary depending on how the bacteria enters the body. Illness ranges from
mild to life-threatening.
A skin ulcer appears at the site where the organism entered the
body. The ulcer is accompanied by swelling of regional lymph glands,
usually in the armpit or groin.
Glandular
Similar to ulcer glandular generally acquired through the bite of an infected tick or deerfly
or from handling sick or dead animals.
Ocular Glandular
This form occurs when the bacteria enter through the
eye. This can occur when a person is butchering an infected animal and
touches his or her eyes. Symptoms include irritation and inflammation of
eye and swelling of lymph glands in front of the ear.
Or pharyngeal
This form results from eating or drinking contaminated
food or water. Patients with or or phyangeal tularemia may have sore
throat, mouth ulcers, tonsillitis, and swelling of lymph glands in the
neck.
Pneumonic
This is the most serious form of tularemia. Symptoms include
cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. This form results from
breathing dusts or aerosols containing the organism. It can also occur
when other forms of tularemia (e.g. ulcer glandular) are left untreated
and the bacteria spread through the blood stream to the lungs.
Diagnosis & Treatment
The symptoms can be mistaken for other common disease and so
Tularemia can be difficult to diagnose. It is a rare disease,.
Proper questioning from a doctor on
exposure to tick and deerfly bites, or contact with sick or dead
animals will improve the treatment process.. Blood tests and cultures can
help confirm the diagnosis. Antibiotics such as streptomycin, gentamicin,
doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin. 10 to 21 days
treatment depending on the stage of illness and the medication used. Although
symptoms may last for several weeks, most patients completely recover.
. Normally patients will be recovered after treatment.
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