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Agents & Ammo In Depth
Tularemia

Last fall, biohazard sensors on the Mall in Washington, D.C. detected low levels of the bacteria Francisella tularensis which causes tularemia. Although these levels were too low to be a health threat to the public, authorities were still notified in order to be on the outlook for possible cases. The presence of the bacteria was not deemed intentional; the detection of it was suspected to have been due to environmental factors.1 This incident highlights F. tularensis and its possible use as a biological weapon.

In the early 20th century, physicians discovered a new infection stemming from human contact with rabbits and rodents. In the United States, the causative agent for this infection was discovered and named Bacterium tularense. The first human case of tularemia was confirmed in 1914. During the 1930's and 1940's, tularemia was a widespread infection and outbreaks occurred all over Europe and the Soviet Union.