Tularemia  
Annual Summary of Reportable Diseases

• No human cases were reported in 2023. 

In 2023, no probable or confirmed human tularemia cases were reported.  

From 2007 to 2023, 28 tularemia cases were reported among Minnesota residents, with a range of 0 to 6 cases annually. Sixteen cases had ulceroglandular, 8 had glandular, two had pneumonic, and two had typhoidal tularemia. Twelve of 19 cases with a known tularemia subtype had type B, and 7 had type A. The median age of cases was 41 years (range, 2 to 87 years). Fifteen cases were likely exposed through a tick or biting fly bite, two through water exposure, six through a cat scratch or bite, and two by inhaling the bacteria; likely exposures for three cases could not be determined. Nineteen of 22 cases for whom race was known were white, two were American Indian/Alaska Native, one was Black, and one was Asian/Pacific Islander. 

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• Download: 2023 Tularemia Cases by Year and Clinical Form (CSV)

Tularemia was not included in the 2022 Annual Summary of Diseases.

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Tularemia is an acute illness caused by Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis (type A) or holarctica (type B). Routes of transmission include arthropod bites (particularly ticks and deer flies), contact with infected animals, and exposure to contaminated water or soil. There are six main clinical forms of disease and all include fever: ulceroglandular, glandular, pneumonic, oropharyngeal, oculoglandular, and typhoidal. In 2021, one probable glandular tularemia case was reported. The case was a 13-year-old female who was likely exposed through a tick bite. From 2007 to 2021, 24 tularemia cases were reported in Minnesota, with a range of 0 to 6 cases annually. Twelve cases had ulceroglandular, 7 had glandular, 2 had pneumonic, and 3 had typhoidal tularemia. Ten of 15 cases with a known tularemia subtype had type B, and 5 had type A. The median age of cases was 40 years (range, 2 to 87 years). Thirteen cases were likely exposed through a tick or biting fly bite, 2 through water exposure, 3 through a cat scratch or bite, and 2 by inhaling the bacteria; likely exposures for 3 cases could not be determined. Sixteen of 20 cases for whom race was known were White, 1 was Black, 2 were American Indian/ Alaska Native.

• Find up to date information at>> Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)

Tularemia is an acute illness caused by Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis (type A) or holarctica (type B). Routes of transmission include arthropod bites (particularly ticks and deer flies), contact with infected animals, and exposure to contaminated water or soil. There are six main clinical forms of disease and all include fever: ulceroglandular, glandular, pneumonic, oropharyngeal, oculoglandular, and typhoidal. In 2020, 3 cases were reported; 1 was culture-confirmed and 2 were probable cases. The confirmed case had glandular tularemia and was the isolate was determined to be Type B. The 2 probable cases were glandular and typhoidal, both diagnosed by serology, so the subtype is unknown. Case ages were 2, 2, and 42 years old; 2 were male. The probable typhoidal case was hospitalized for 7 days; all cases survived. One case likely was infected through tick bite on the scalp, one likely got the illness from his cat, and the last source is unknown. From 2007 to 2020, 23 tularemia cases were reported, with a range of 0 to 6 cases annually. Twelve cases had ulceroglandular, 6 had glandular, 2 had pneumonic, and 3 had typhoidal tularemia. Ten of 15 cases with a known tularemia subtype had type B, and 5 had type A. The median age of cases was 41 years (range, 2 to 87). Twelve cases were most likely exposed through a tick or biting fly bite, 2 through water exposures, 3 through a cat scratch or bite, 2 were exposed by inhaling the bacteria, and 3 cases’ exposures could not be determined. Sixteen of 19 cases for which race was known were white, 1 was black, and 1 was American Indian/Alaska Native, and 1 was Asian/Pacific Islander

• Find up to date information at>> Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)

Tularemia is an acute illness caused by Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis (type A) or holarctica (type B). Routes of transmission include arthropod bites (particularly ticks and deer flies), contact with infected animals, and exposure to contaminated water or soil. There are six main clinical forms of disease and all include fever: ulceroglandular, glandular, pneumonic, oropharyngeal, oculoglandular, and typhoidal.

In 2019, 2 cases were reported; 1 was culture-confirmed and 1 was a probable case. Both cases had ulceroglandular tularemia. One case had type B tularemia, and the other was diagnosed by serology only and had an unidentified subtype. Case ages were 25 and 69 years old; 1 was male. Neither case was hospitalized; both survived. One case likely was infected through a biting fly bite on his property in Washington County. The other case was likely infected by taking a sick rabbit out of his dog’s mouth.

From 2007 to 2019, 20 tularemia cases were reported, with a range of 0 to 6 cases annually. Twelve cases had ulceroglandular, 4 had glandular, 2 had pneumonic, and 2 had typhoidal tularemia. Nine of 14 cases with a known tularemia subtype had type B, and 5 had type A. The median age of cases was 42.5 years (range, 2 to 87). Eleven cases were most likely exposed through a tick or biting fly bite, 2 through water exposures, 2 through a cat scratch or bite, 2 were exposed by inhaling the bacteria, and 2 cases’ exposures could not be determined. Fifteen of 18 cases for which race was known were white, 1 was black, and 1 was American Indian/Alaskan Native, and 1 was Asian/Pacific Islander.

• Find up to date information at>> Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)

Tularemia is an acute illness caused by Francisella tularensis subspecies tularensis (type A) or holarctica (type B). Routes of transmission include arthropod bites (particularly ticks and deer flies), contact with infected animals, and exposure to contaminated water or soil. There are six main clinical forms of disease and all include fever: ulceroglandular, glandular, pneumonic, oropharyngeal, oculoglandular, and typhoidal.

In 2018, 2 cases were reported; 1 was culture-confirmed, and 1 was a probable case. One case had glandular and the other had pneumonic tularemia. One case had type A tularemia, and the other was diagnosed by serology only and had an unidentified subtype. Case ages were 25 and 69 years old; 1 was male, 1 was female. One case was hospitalized, and both survived. One case likely acquired tularemia by inhaling the bacteria, the other case’s exposure route was unknown.

From 2007 to 2018, 18 tularemia cases were reported, with a range of 0 to 6 cases annually. Ten cases had ulceroglandular, 4 had glandular, 2 had pneumonic, and 2 had typhoidal tularemia. Eight of 13 cases with a known tularemia subtype had type B, and 5 had type A. The median age of cases was 42.5 years (range, 2 to 87). Ten cases were most likely exposed through a tick or biting fly bite, 2 cases through water exposures, 2 cases through a cat scratch or bite, 2 cases were exposed by inhaling the bacteria, and 2 cases’ exposures could not be determined. Thirteen of 16 cases for which race was known were white, 1 was black, and 1 was American Indian/ Alaska Native, and 1 was Asian/Pacific Islander.

• Find up to date information at>> Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)

• Archive of Annual Summary of Communicable Diseases Reported to the Minnesota Department of Health
  Archive of past summaries (years prior to 2023 are available as PDFs).