Francisella Tularensis

Tularensis is currently classified as category a agent of bioterrorism.

Francisella tularensis. 110 hepatic involvement may be subclinical and is often a component of disseminated infection. Tularemia can also infect birds sheep and domestic animals such as dogs cats and hamsters. It is transmitted to humans from rodents and rabbits. Francisella tularensis is a gram negative coccobacillus endemic in many areas of north america.

Because of the highly infectious nature f. Francisella tularensis tularemia fact sheet as pdf introduction. It is non spore forming non motile and the causative agent of tularemia the pneumonic form of which is often lethal without treatment. Properties of francisella tularensis.

Main forms of this disease are listed below. 1 2 mm after 48h. It is a fastidious facultative intracellular bacterium which requires cysteine for growth. May grow on pri mary culture not well on subculture.

Affected patients reveal elevated aminotransferases hepatomegaly and rarely jaundice. Francisella tularensis is a pathogenic species of gram negative rod shaped coccobacillus an aerobe bacterium. Scant or no growth on bap. Causes highly infectious as few as 10 organisms can cause disease and the organism can enter the human body through skin eyes mouth or lungs but treatable can be treated successfully with antibiotics.

Illness ranges from mild to life threatening. Streptomycin is the drug of choice. Slow growing on choc tm or bcye. No growth on mac or emb.

Tularensis is considered to be a serious potential bioterrorist threat because it is one of the most infectious pathogenic bacteria known inhalation of as few as 10 organisms can cause disease and it has substantial capacity to cause serious illness and death. Colonies are opaque grey white butyrous with smooth and shiny surface. Tularensis can grow on chocolate agar or buffered charcoal yeast extract bcye agar media supplemented with cysteine. The organism is a small gram negative pleomorphic nonmotile nonspore forming coccobacillus measuring 0 2 x 0 2 to 0 7 mm.

Laboratory diagnosis treatment and prevention of francisella tularensis. Francisella tularensis is the etiologic agent of tularemia and with rare exception the only disease produced by this genus. 48h bap 48h choc. Tularemia is caused by the bacterium francisella tularensis.

An ulcer caused by francisella tularensis. The signs and symptoms of tularemia vary depending on how the bacteria enter the body. Due to its low infectious dose ease of spread by aerosol and high. The disease mainly affects rabbits hares and rodents such as muskrats and squirrels.

Francisella tularensis rule out evaluation f. All forms are accompanied by fever which can be as high as 104 f. It is nonspore forming nonmotile and the causative agent of tularemia the pneumonic form of which is often lethal without treatment it is a fastidious facultative intracellular bacterium which requires cysteine for growth.