Epidemic of tularaemia in Nish district

Tularaemia, as a rare disease, suprised medical workers in 1999 and 2ooo when it was detected and diagnosed in 31 patients. In 1999 patients were registered in villages of the Sokobanja community, and in 2ooo also in other communities in the district of Nish. Patients were peasants, mostly housewives. Glandular form of the disease was dominant. The main clinical symptoms were: tonsillitis, pain in the region of enlarged lymphatic glands and temperature, Bio-humoral syndrome presented accelerated sedimentation of erythrocytes and elevated fibrinogen values. Antibody titer of Francisella tularensis was extremely high in the majority of patients. The disease was cured in all patients: in 27 patients after the first therapy, in 4 subjects after recidivation and 5 patients were surgically treated.