Objective: Tularemia is a rare and often overlooked zoonotic infection. While the ulceroglandular and glandular types are observed most frequently in epidemics originating in Europe, the oropharyngeal type is most common in Türkiye. The most common clinical findings are lymphadenopathy, skin rash, and tonsillitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequen-cy of tularemia in Tokat, a province located in the Central Black Sea Region of Türkiye.
Materials and Methods: The data of patients diagnosed with tularemia at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Faculty of Medicine Training and Research Hospital between January 2011 and July 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Laboratory-confirmed cases were included in the study. Sociodemographic characteristics, risk factors, clinical and laboratory findings, treatments, and post-treatment follow-up of the cases were evaluated.
Results: Tularemia was detected in 20 patients. A total of 80% patients lived in a village, 65% were engaged in agriculture as a profession, and 60% in animal husbandry. The most important possible sources of contamination were rodents near the house (40%) and non-chlorinated drinking water (50%). Among 20 cases, 57% were oropharyngeal tularemia, 95% were treated with monotherapy or combinations containing aminoglycosides, and 50% with surgical lymph node drainage.
Conclusion: Tularemia is a rare infection in Tokat Province. But it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients living in rural areas who present with fever, sore throat, and cervical lymphadenopathy that is not responsive to beta-lactam agents.