Abstract
Tularemia in humans in northwestern Spain is associated with increases in vole populations. Prevalence of infection with Francisella tularensis in common voles increased to 33% during a vole population fluctuation. This finding confirms that voles are spillover agents for zoonotic outbreaks. Ecologic interactions associated with tularemia prevention should be considered.
Highlights
Tularemia in humans in northwestern Spain is associated with increases in vole populations
A recent study suggests that common voles (Microtus arvalis) are a key agent for human tularemia in northwestern Spain because of a spatial and temporal coincidence between human tularemia cases and increases in number of voles [5]
Dead voles infected with F. tularensis subsp. holarctica have been reported in northwestern Spain during massive decreases in vole populations [7]
Summary
Tularemia in humans in northwestern Spain is associated with increases in vole populations. Prevalence of infection with Francisella tularensis in common voles increased to 33% during a vole population fluctuation. This finding confirms that voles are spillover agents for zoonotic outbreaks. Tularemia, which is caused by Francisella tularensis, is a problematic zoonotic disease worldwide, but its ecology remains poorly understood. As hypothesized [5], common voles are a key amplifying and spillover agent for tularemia in intensive farming areas in northwestern Spain, we should expect an increased prevalence of tularemia in voles as their numbers increase. Our goal was to determine how prevalence of F. tularensis in common voles varies with population density
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