Tularemia is a bacterial disease of humans, wild, and domestic animals. Francisella tularensis, which is a Gram-negative coccobacillus-shaped bacterium, is the causative agent of tularemia. Recently, an increase in the number of human tularemia cases has been noticed in several countries around the world. It has been reported mostly from North America, several Scandinavian countries, and certain Asian countries. The disease spreads through vectors such as mosquitoes, horseflies, deer flies, and ticks. Humans can acquire the disease through direct contact of sick animals, consumption of infected animals, drinking or direct contact of contaminated water, and inhalation of bacteria-loaded aerosols. Low infectious dose, aerosol route of infection, and its ability to induce fatal disease make it a potential agent of biological warfare. Tularemia leads to several clinical forms, such as glandular, ulceroglandular, oculoglandular, oropharyngeal, respiratory, and typhoidal forms. The disease is diagnosed through the use of culture, serology, or molecular methods. Quinolones, tetracyclines, or aminoglycosides are frequently used in the treatment of tularemia. No licensed vaccine is available in the prophylaxis of tularemia and this is need of the time and high-priority research area. This review mostly focuses on general features, importance, current status, and preventive measures of this disease.

兔热病是人类、野生动物和家畜的细菌性疾病。土拉弗朗西斯菌是一种革兰氏阴性球杆菌形细菌，是土拉菌病的病原体。最近，世界多个国家发现人类兔热病病例数量有所增加。据报道，该病主要来自北美、几个斯堪的纳维亚国家和某些亚洲国家。该疾病通过蚊子、马蝇、鹿蝇和蜱虫等媒介传播。人类可以通过直接接触患病动物、食用受感染的动物、饮用或直接接触受污染的水以及吸入载有细菌的气溶胶而感染该疾病。低传染剂量、气溶胶感染途径及其诱发致命疾病的能力使其成为生物战的潜在媒介。兔热病可导致多种临床形式，例如腺性、溃疡腺性、眼腺性、口咽性、呼吸道性和伤寒性形式。该疾病通过培养、血清学或分子方法进行诊断。喹诺酮类、四环素类或氨基糖苷类药物常用于治疗兔热病。目前还没有获得许可的疫苗可用于预防兔热病，这是需要时间和高度优先的研究领域。本文主要介绍该病的一般特征、重要性、现状和预防措施。