Phylogeography of Francisella tularensis ssp. holarctica in France.

AIM: To investigate the phylogeography of French Francisella tularensis ssp. holarctica isolates. METHODS AND RESULTS: Canonical SNPs and MLVA were used to genotype 103 French F. tularensis ssp. holarctica isolates. We confirmed the presence of one subclade, the central and western European group (B.Br.FTNF002-00), and identified four major MLVA genotypes with no obvious geographical differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of geographical resolution among MLVA genotypes suggests rapid dispersal, convergent evolution or a combination of the two. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study expands knowledge of the phylogeography of one of the two dominant European F. tularensis ssp. holarctica subclades and illustrates the need for additional SNP discovery within this subclade.

An outbreak of airborne tularaemia in France, August 2004.

Fifteen tularaemia cases were identified after a holiday spent at a converted mill in the Vendee region in France, between 9 and 12 August 2004. The mill was visited, and descriptive, retrospective cohort and environmental investigations were conducted. The 39 people who had stayed at the mill between 24 July and 11 August were asked about symptoms, exposure to food and animals, and leisure activities. A case was defined as a person with evidence of fever and a positive serology (seroconversion or significant rise in antibody titre, or a single titre) = 40. Culture for Francisella tularensis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis was carried out for drinking water, firewood, and domestic animals at the mill. Fifteen cases of tularaemia (38%) were confirmed. Twelve of the cases (80%) had the pulmonary form. None of the patients was admitted to hospital. There was a strong association between infection and participation in a dinner at the mill on 4 August (p < 10(-8)). One of the three dogs present in the dining room was serologically positive for F. tularensis. Results of analysis of environmental samples were negative. These investigations confirmed the occurrence of a cluster of 15 tularaemia cases, in patients who were infected on the evening of 4 August, in a mill in VendAe, an endemic area for tularaemia. The investigations highlight the existence of nonspecific and benign pulmonary forms of the illness in France. The pulmonary form of infection in the human cases and the positive serology of the dog suggest contamination by inhalation of contaminated particles from the dogos fur disseminated by the dog shaking itself.

An outbreak of airborne tularaemia in France, August 2004.

Fifteen tularaemia cases were identified after a holiday spent at a converted mill in the Vendee region in France, between 9 and 12 August 2004. The mill was visited, and descriptive, retrospective cohort and environmental investigations were conducted. The 39 people who had stayed at the mill between 24 July and 11 August were asked about symptoms, exposure to food and animals, and leisure activities. A case was defined as a person with evidence of fever and a positive serology (seroconversion or significant rise in antibody titre, or a single titre) = 40. Culture for Francisella tularensis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnosis was carried out for drinking water, firewood, and domestic animals at the mill. Fifteen cases of tularaemia (38%) were confirmed. Twelve of the cases (80%) had the pulmonary form. None of the patients was admitted to hospital. There was a strong association between infection and participation in a dinner at the mill on 4 August (p<10-8). One of the three dogs present in the dining room was serologically positive for F. tularensis. Results of analysis of environmental samples were negative. These investigations confirmed the occurrence of a cluster of 15 tularaemia cases, in patients who were infected on the evening of 4 August, in a mill in Vend¨¦e, an endemic area for tularaemia. The investigations highlight the existence of nonspecific and benign pulmonary forms of the illness in France. The pulmonary form of infection in the human cases and the positive serology of the dog suggest contamination by inhalation of contaminated particles from the dog¡¯s fur disseminated by the dog shaking itself.

[Tularemia. The disease and its epidemiology in France]. / La Tularémie. La maladie et son épidémiologie en France.

OBJECTIVE: This study had for aim to determine whether the epidemiologic features of animal and human tularemia observed in France could explain its re-emergence since 1993. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was made of outbreaks in animals and human cases and contamination. RESULTS: Twenty to sixty animal outbreaks were recorded every year but the number of cases was under-estimated. This indicates an increase in animal cases. Human cases or contaminations were associated with areas where animal cases had been recorded, except for a few cases more difficult to explain. Several factors are implicated: the disease is not known, except by hunters. Tularemia is more often described in hares but the disease may be present in other species. The disease and its forms should be documented for clinicians and biologists for an adequate clinical and bacteriological diagnosis. COMMENTS: Several factors in the epidemiology of the animal diseases have changed since 1993. It is necessary to be increasingly vigilant, for animal cases and human contamination. It is necessary to strengthen medical and veterinary supervision especially since Francisella tularensis may be used for bioterrorism.

Experimental trichinellosis in horses: biological and parasitological evaluation.

Three groups of three horses each were, respectively, infected with 5000, 20,000 and 50,000 larvae of Trichinella spiralis. The strain used was isolated from a human biopsy during horsemeat-related outbreaks of trichinellosis in France. Transient muscular disorders were only observed in two of the horses infected with 50,000 larvae but none of the horses had fever. A significant increase in blood eosinophils was noticed in 5 horses. Serum LDH, aldolase and CPK peaked at the fifth week post-infection. Specific IgG assayed by indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA, appeared 2-5 weeks post-infection and disappeared between 16 and 40 weeks. The distribution of T. spiralis larvae was maximal in the tongue, masseters and diaphragm, but a large decrease in the number of larvae recovered from the muscles was noticed among the horses slaughtered at the beginning and end of the experiment. In muscular histological sections, larvae were observed in an intramyofibrillar position and were surrounded by a mild to severe inflammatory reaction.

[Epidemiology of animal Listeria infections in France]. / Epidémiologie des listérioses animales en France.

The animal listeriosis are sporadic diseases in the herds and flocks of herbivores generally in intensive farming with silage foods. The disease attacks other domestic or wild species. It's generally isolated cases or rare. The carrier animals are large in many species. 428 outbreaks have been detected in 1998-1999 of which 259 in cattle and 108 in sheep. The abortive forms are more important in the cattle and the meningoencephalitis in the sheep and goats. Cases are found in the poultry, birds, horse, dog, roe deer, rabbit, hare and wild boar.

The Ba813 chromosomal DNA sequence effectively traces the whole Bacillus anthracis community.

Plasmid genes that are responsible for virulence of Bacillus anthracis are important targets for the DNA-based detection of anthrax. We evaluated the distribution of the Ba813 chromosomal DNA sequence (Ba813) within closely related Bacillus species. Ba813 was systematically identified from 47 strains or isolates of B. anthracis tested, thus indicating its reliability as a tracer for that species. From the 60 strains of closely related Bacillus spp. examined, three bona fide B. cereus and one bona fide B. thuringiensis were found to harbour Ba813. This marker was also detected in Bacillus sp. isolates that were present at high levels in soil samples collected in a place where an anthrax outbreak had occurred. The significance and the possible function of the Ba813 locus is discussed.

Molecular characterization of Bacillus strains involved in outbreaks of anthrax in France in 1997.

Outbreaks of anthrax zoonose occurred in two regions of France in 1997. Ninety-four animals died, and there were three nonfatal cases in humans. The diagnosis of anthrax was rapidly confirmed by bacteriological and molecular biological methods. The strains of Bacillus anthracis in animal and soil samples were identified by a multiplex PCR assay. They all belonged to the variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) group (VNTR)3. A penicillin-resistant strain was detected. Nonvirulent bacilli related to B. anthracis, of all VNTR types, were also found in the soil.