vectors of infection

The tularemia microbe can be found in all landscape zones of the Northern hemisphere, and in the Russian Federation this infection has been detected in virtually all regions. It spreads beyond the polar circle up to the 71° parallel. From 100 to 400 cases of tularemia infection are registered in the Russian Federation annually, 75% of which are accounted for the Northern, Central and Siberian territories of the country. From time to time epidemic morbidity rates are reported. Presently, six types of natural tularemia foci are established in Russia.

At the present stage of the studies only Ixodidae ticks can be classed by the types of foci, being the main blood-sucking vectors of the tularemia agent. Other blood-sucking arthropods, considering the species abundance and wide-spread occurrence and certain habitat versatility, can be tularemia vectors in several or even in all types of foci. These are the following: primarily, gamaside and argasid ticks, as well as bloodsucking insects.