Start of hunting season: beware of the risk of tularemiaAs of September 4, 2015, the InVS had already recorded 71 cases of tularemia, compared to 57 in 2014 (an average of 45 cases reported since 2003). The cases of tularemia identified in 2014 and 2015 exhibit characteristics similar to those of previous years, with no particular signs of severity. The most affected regions are western France (18 cases in Pays de la Loire, 9 cases each in Brittany, Centre, and Poitou-Charentes) and the Picardy (20 cases)/Champagne-Ardenne (9 cases). Tularemia is a disease transmitted either through direct contact (inoculation or inhalation) with infected wild animals (most commonly hares), through tick bites, or from an environment contaminated by animal waste (rodent urine), particularly in rural areas. The disease manifests after a 2- to 4-week incubation period with fever, swollen lymph nodes, and sometimes a skin ulcer. More rarely, conjunctivitis or pneumonia may occur. In Europe, due to the circulation of low-virulence bacterial strains, tularemia has an excellent prognosis with appropriate antibiotic treatment. In light of the increase in human cases of tularemia observed in France over the past several months, the Directorate General for Health (DGS), the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS), the National Institute for Prevention and Health Education (Inpes), and the National Office for Hunting and Wildlife (ONCFS) wish to inform at-risk populations, particularly hunters, and to reiterate the main preventive measures in a press release.