RESUMO
From 1981 through 1987, a total of 1,041 cases of tularemia in humans were reported in Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas; this represents 60% of the cases reported in the United States during this same time period. The state of Arkansas reported the highest total (420 cases). Annual incidence rates per one million population ranged from 36.3 in Arkansas to less than 5.0 in Kansas, Louisiana, and Texas. Epidemiologic data were available for 1,026 cases. The majority of cases were white (88%) and male (75%). May, June, and July were the months of onset of symptoms for 52% of the cases. For the cases with known exposure history, 63% reported an attached tick and 23% had exposure to rabbits. Other animals associated with human infection were squirrels, cats, and raccoons. The case-fatality ratio was 2%. Public health efforts to prevent human tularemia cases in the six southwest-central states should focus on reducing exposure to ticks.
Assuntos
Tularemia/epidemiologia , Adolescente , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Animais , Vetores Aracnídeos , Arkansas/epidemiologia , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Exposição Ambiental , Feminino , Humanos , Incidência , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Kansas/epidemiologia , Louisiana/epidemiologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Missouri/epidemiologia , Oklahoma/epidemiologia , Coelhos , Estações do Ano , Texas/epidemiologia , Carrapatos , Tularemia/mortalidade , Tularemia/transmissãoRESUMO
From 1981 through 1985, a total of 851 laboratory-confirmed cases of Rocky Mountain spotted fever were reported in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Annual incidence rates in each state increased from 1981 through 1983, ranging from a 17% increase in Arkansas to a 137% increase in Texas. In the period 1984 through 1985, the annual incidence rates in each state decreased over 50%. A total of 519 cases were males. A majority of cases (51%) were 19 years of age or younger. April through August were the months of onset of symptoms for 83% of the cases. Differences in distribution of month of onset of symptoms were noted when comparing age groups and state of residence of the cases. The case-fatality ratio was 4.7%. Case-fatality ratios were higher in blacks and in older age groups. An endemic focus of Rocky Mountain spotted fever exists in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The annual incidence trend for spotted fever in these three states is dissimilar to the trends in other states.
