Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ecological conditions of natural foci of tularaemia in the Czech Republic

  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tularaemia, a zoonosis of veterinary and public health importance, commonly occurs in the Czech Republic as well as other countries of Northern Hemisphere. The objective of this study was to analyse the environmental conditions of distribution of natural foci of tularaemia and their long-term persistence in the Czech Republic. A geographic information system has been used for this purpose. A new variable (x t), the mean number of natural foci in a specific area, has been suggested for the evaluation of diseases occurring in natural foci. Comparing two 15-year periods, a close correlation between the geographic distribution and numbers of natural foci of tularaemia in the Czech Republic in 1971–1985 and 1986–2000 (r = 0.91, n = 1814, t = 92.50, p = 0.01) was found. Natural foci of tularaemia have been persistent, but not stationary, over the period of 30 years and the geographic area of their occurrence has not been considerably growing or diminishing in the Czech Republic. The highest numbers of natural foci of tularaemia were in habitats of alluvial forests (x t = 7.20), geographic areas of up to 200 m of elevation above sea (x t = 9.18), 8.1–10.0 °C of mean annual air temperature (x t = 6.24), 450–700 mm of mean annual precipitation (x t = 2.84), and 2001–2200 hour of mean annual sunshine duration (x t = 8.77). It was proved that tularaemia persists in specific areas of natural foci, the general environmental conditions of which can be defined and make it possible to predict the occurrence of tularaemia in other areas of suitable conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Quinn PJ, Carter ME, Markey B, Carter GR. Clinical Veterinary Microbiology. London: Wolfe Publishing, 1994: 259–260.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Guryčová D. First isolation of Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis in Europe. Eur J Epidemiol 1998; 14(8): 797–802.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Guryčová D, Výrosteková V, Khanakah G, Kociánová E, Staněk G. Importance of surveillance of tularaemia natural foci in the known endemic area of Central Europe, 1991-1997. Wiener Klin Wochenschrift 2001; 113(11-12): 433–438.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Pikula J. Ecological - epizootiological studies into the tularaemia of the European Hare Lepus europaeus Pallas, 1778. VFU Brno 1996, PhD Thesis (In Czech).

  5. Guryčová D, Kopcok M. Surveillance of Francisella tularensis infestation in dogs from Bratislava. Vet Med Czech 1992; 37(3): 169–176.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Guryčová D, Kociánová E, Výrosteková V, Řeháček J. Prevalence of ticks infected with Francisella tularensis in natural foci of tularaemia in Western Slovakia. Eur J Epidemiol 1995; 11(4): 469–474.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Hoflechner-Poltl A, Hofer E, Awad-Masalmeh M, Muller M, Steineck T. Prevalence of tularaemia and brucellosis in European brown hares (Lepus europaeus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Austria. Tierärzt Umschau 2000; 55(5): 264–268.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hubálek Z, Sixl W, Halouzka J. Francisella tularensis in Dermacentor reticulatus ticks from the Czech Republic and Austria. Wiener Klin Wochenschrift 1998; 110(24): 909–910.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hubálek Z, Treml F, Halouzka J, Juřicová Z, Huňady M, Janík V. Frequent isolation of Francisella tularensis from Dermacentor reticulatus ticks in an enzootic focus of tularaemia. Med Vet Entomol 1996; 10(3): 241–246.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Hubálek Z, Juřicová Z, Svobodová S, Halouzka J. A serologic survey for some bacterial and viral zoonoses in game animals in the Czech Republic. J Wildlife Dis 1993; 29(4): 604–607.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Výrosteková V, Guryčová D, Kociánová E, Řeháček J. Ticks as important epidemiological indicators of natural foci of tularaemia in Slovakia. Biologia 2001; 56(Suppl. 9): 97–103.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Pikula J, Beklová M. Ecological distribution of Phasianus colchicus in Czechoslovakia. Acta Sc Nat Brno 1987; 21(2): 1–47.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Libich J. Tularaemia. (in Czech). Prague: Avicenum, 1981; 30–37.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Štěrba F. Studies into the Brucella infection in the European Hare (Lepus europaeus Pall.) and guinea pig (Cavia aperea Erxl.). VFU Brno 1993, Habilitation Thesis (in Czech).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Ecology and Environmental Protection, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic

    Jiri Pikula, Miroslava Beklová & Zdenka Holešovská

  2. Department of Infectious Diseases and Epizootiology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic

    František Treml

  3. Small Animal Clinic, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic

    Jarmila Pikulová

Authors
  1. Jiri Pikula
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. František Treml
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Miroslava Beklová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Zdenka Holešovská
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jarmila Pikulová
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pikula, J., Treml, F., Beklová, M. et al. Ecological conditions of natural foci of tularaemia in the Czech Republic. Eur J Epidemiol 18, 1091–1095 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026141619810

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026141619810

Search

Navigation