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The Journal of the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology |
Biblioraphy Information
| ArticleTitle |
Tularemia in Japan |
| Language |
J |
| AuthorList |
Yoshiro Ohara |
| Affiliation |
Yamagata Kousei Hospital |
| Publication |
J.J.C.M.: 26 (3), 202-208, 2016 |
| Received |
May 2, 2016 |
| Accepted |
|
| Abstract |
Tularemia is an acute febrile disease caused by Francisella tularensis. F. tularensis is an aerobic and gram-negative coccobacillus. Edward Francis largely contributed to the research of tularemia after the discovery of Bacteria tularensis by McCoy and Chapin. On the other hand, Hachiro Ohara established the concept of the disease independently in Japan and named Yato-byo (wild rabbit disease in Japanese) since 94% of Japanese cases were transmitted from the infected wild rabbits. Approximately 1,400 cases have been reported since 1924 in Japan. After World War II, 50-80 cases were reported yearly for 20 years. Since 1966, however, there have been less than 10 cases per year. A sudden onset of flu-like symptoms was generally observed, and 92% of cases was followed by regional lymph node swelling. In contrast with the cases in the United States, the number of cases of ulceroglandular type in Japan is only one third of those of glandular type. The drug of first choice for the treatment of tularemia is streptomycin. The effectiveness of β-lactam antibiotics is not fully established. Since the virulence of Japanese strains of F. tularensis is low, no fatal cases have been reported. Although the number of cases with tularemia is extremely low in Japan at present, tularemia still exists among wild animals since the case with tularemia sporadically appears. |
| Keywords |
Japanese only |
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