Project Title: “Epidemiology and Ecology of Tularemia in Georgia”GG-19, CBR/DTRA; Project Duration: 11.07.2013 – 10.07.2016.

Project summary

a)Project Objectives: This project is designed to provide the initial research for the development of a comprehensive epidemiological surveillance in Georgia and provide a base-line understanding of the geographic distribution of F. tularensis diseases in certain regions of this country. 

b).Project implementation:

1.  To study the seroprevalence of tularemia among exposed (people living in geographic areas known to be natural foci for tularemia) and not exposed healthy individuals and estimate risk factors for seropositivity.

2.  To establish active surveillance for human tularemia clinical cases with the goal of increasing identification of the disease and collecting isolates from human cases for comparison to current environmental isolates and historical isolates.

3.  To establish active surveillance for tularemia in the environment including small rodents and associated vectors and to identify the sources of tularemia outbreaks among humans. This effort includes linking environmental and animal cases with human cases.

4. To implement and evaluate diagnostic methods for tularemia and monitor patterns of antimicrobial resistance

5.  To study isolated Francisella tularensis strains using DNA sequencing, proteomics analysis, and phage subtyping. 

c).Expected results:

This project will: Strengthen early identification and control capacity by:

• Establishment, evaluation and validation of different diagnostic modalities
• Fortification of the public health institutional and laboratory infrastructure and its response to tularemia outbreaks
• Improving recognition of the disease and detection of risk factors for outbreaks
• Strategic planning for disease control efforts to prevent outbreaks
• Describe the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics and antimicrobial resistance patterns
• Describe risk factors for transmission of tularemia
• Increase awareness among physicians, public health professionals as well as the general population regarding tularemia
• Implement and evaluate diagnostic methods for tularemia
• Provide better recognition and treatment will reduce the burden of disease and its concomitant socioeconomic impact.  Enhanced surveillance will facilitate development of cooperative disease control efforts in the region to further anticipate outbreaks and contain transmission.