What does Francisella tularensis look like?
Francisella tularensis, a Gram-negative, nonspore-forming, nonmotile, aerobic rod-shaped coccobacillus, is the causative agent of tularemia.
Where is Francisella tularensis found?
A. Tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever,” is a disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Tularemia is typically found in animals, especially rodents, rabbits, and hares.
What are the biochemical characteristics of Francisella tularensis?
Biochemical Test of Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis
| Basic Characteristics | Properties (Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis) |
|---|---|
| Oxidase | Negative |
| Shape | Short, rod-shaped or coccoid |
| Spore | Negative (-ve) |
| Sodium ricinoleate solubility | Positive (+ve) |
What form of Francisella tularensis is most common?
Ulceroglandular This is the most common form of tularemia and usually occurs following a tick or deer fly bite or after handing of an infected animal.
How is Francisella tularensis identified in the lab?
Detection of F. tularensis in a clinical specimen by direct immunofluorescence assay (DFA), immunohistochemical staining, or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay.
What kind of bacteria is Francisella tularensis?
Francisella tularensis is a pathogenic species of Gram-negative coccobacillus, an aerobic bacterium. It is nonspore-forming, nonmotile, and the causative agent of tularemia, the pneumonic form of which is often lethal without treatment.
How is Francisella tularensis transmitted?
F. tularensis bacteria can be transmitted to humans via the skin when handling infected animal tissue. In particular, this can occur when hunting or skinning infected rabbits, muskrats, prairie dogs and other rodents.
How is Francisella tularensis prevented?
How can tularemia be prevented?
- Use insect repellants containing picaridin, DEET, or IR3535.
- Avoid insect bites by wearing long pants, long sleeves, and socks to cover skin.
- Avoid drinking untreated surface water that might be contaminated.
- Check lawns or grassy areas for sick or dead animals before mowing the lawn.
What are the virulence factors of Francisella tularensis?
The virulence factors for F. tularensis are largely unknown, but are currently under investigation. Once F. tularensis is engulfed by immune cells (macrophages) that routinely kill bacteria, it replicates and evades parts of the immune system.
What is Francisella tularensis known for?
Tularemia is a rare infectious disease. Also known as rabbit fever or deer fly fever, it typically attacks the skin, eyes, lymph nodes and lungs. Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. The disease mainly affects rabbits, hares, and rodents, such as muskrats and squirrels.
How does Francisella tularensis cause tularemia?
Francisella tularensis is the bacterium that causes tularemia, a life-threatening disease spread to humans via contact with an infected animal or through mosquito, tick or deer fly bites. As few as 10 viable bacteria can cause the disease, which has a death rate of up to 60 percent.
Is there a vaccine for Francisella tularensis?
Until recently, a vaccine has been available to protect laboratorians routinely working with Francisella tularensis. This vaccine is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is not generally available in the United States.