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Seroprevalence of tularemia in wild bears and hares in Japan.
- Source :
-
Zoonoses and public health [Zoonoses Public Health] 2012 Mar; Vol. 59 (2), pp. 89-95. Date of Electronic Publication: 2011 Jul 25. - Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis. The distribution of the pathogen in Japan has not been studied well. In this study, seroprevalence of tularemia among wild black bears and hares in Japan was determined. Blood samples collected from 431 Japanese black bears (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) and 293 Japanese hares (Lepus brachurus) between 1998 and 2009 were examined for antibodies against F. tularensis by micro-agglutination test (MA) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. By subsequent confirmatory tests using western blot (WB) and indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), eight sera from Japanese black bears were definitely shown to be seropositive. All of these eight bears were residents of the northeastern part of main-island of Japan, where human tularemia had been reported. On the other hand, no seropositive Japanese hares were found. These results suggest that Japanese black bears can serve as sentinel for tularemia surveillance and may help understand the distribution of F. tularensis throughout the country. This is the first report on detection of antibody to F. tularensis in black bears of Japan.<br /> (© 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)
- Subjects :
- Agglutination Tests veterinary
Animals
Animals, Wild
Antigens, Bacterial
Child
Child, Preschool
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay veterinary
Female
Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect veterinary
Francisella tularensis isolation & purification
Humans
Japan epidemiology
Male
Seroepidemiologic Studies
Tularemia diagnosis
Tularemia epidemiology
Zoonoses
Antibodies, Bacterial blood
Francisella tularensis immunology
Hares microbiology
Tularemia veterinary
Ursidae microbiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1863-2378
- Volume :
- 59
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Zoonoses and public health
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 21824374
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1863-2378.2011.01422.x