TY  - JOUR
T1  - Outbreak of Tularemia in a Group of Hunters in Germany in 2018 - Kinetics of Antibody and Cytokine Responses
AU  - Jacob, Daniela
AU  - Barduhn, Anne
AU  - Tappe, Dennis
AU  - Rauch, Jessica
AU  - Heuner, Klaus
AU  - Hierhammer, Daniela
AU  - vom Berge, Katharina
AU  - Riehm, Julia M.
AU  - Hanczaruk, Matthias
AU  - Böhm, Stefanie
AU  - Böhmer, Merle M.
AU  - Konrad, Regina
AU  - Bouschery, Berit
AU  - Dauer, Marc
AU  - Schichtl, Elisabeth
AU  - Hossain, Hamid
AU  - Grunow, Roland
AB  - In November 2018, an outbreak of tularemia occurred among hare hunters in Bavaria, Germany. At least one infected hare was confirmed as the source of infection. A number of hunting dogs showed elevated antibody titers to Francisella tularensis, but the absence of titer increases in subsequent samples did not point to acute infections in dogs. Altogether, 12 persons associated with this hare hunt could be diagnosed with acute tularemia by detection of specific antibodies. In nine patients, the antibody and cytokine responses could be monitored over time. Eight out of these nine patients had developed detectable antibodies three weeks after exposure; in one individual the antibody response was delayed. All patients showed an increase in various cytokines and chemokines with a peak for most mediators in the first week after exposure. Cytokine levels showed individual variations, with high and low responders. The kinetics of seroconversion has implications on serological diagnoses of tularemia.
KW  - bacterial infections
KW  - tularemia
KW  - hares
KW  - Francisella
KW  - Francisella Tularensis
KW  - outbreak
KW  - antibodies
KW  - cytokines
KW  - 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
PY  - 2020
LA  - eng
PB  - Robert Koch-Institut
JO  - microorganisms
VL  - 8
IS  - 11
DO  - 10.3390/microorganisms8111645
ER  -