[Tularemia, a potential bioterrorism weapon].

A POTENTIAL WEAPON: Because of its highly contagious nature with a low inoculum, principally with the biovar A, F. tularensis is considered as an agent that could be used by terrorists, notably when sprayed. Any epidemic of tularemia, essentially in its respiratory form, particularly in areas of low incidence of this infection, should be suspected to be a biowarfare attack. The voluntary contamination of water with this bacteria could also be used as a biological weapon. THE DIFFERENT FORMS OF THE DISEASE: Depend on the mode of contamination, the dose of inoculum and the virulence of the strains. The forms are pulmonary, ulcerous-glandular, typhoid, glandular, ocular-glandular, oropharyngeal and septicemic. IN GENERAL PRACTICE: Tularemia is a disease that requires official notification. Many guidelines exist for the treatment and prophylaxis of patients having been exposed to F. tularensis.