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===Overview===
===Overview===
*Causes tularaemia in animals and humans
*Causes tularaemia in wildlife, domestic animals and humans
*Wildlife reservoir of infection, including rabbits, rodents, galliform birds and deer
*Wildlife reservoir of infection, including rabbits, rodents, galliform birds and deer
*Survives in the soil for up to 4 months
*Survives in the soil for up to 4 months
*Type A strains associated with terrestrial animal reservoirs; type B strains with water-borne infections and aquatic animals
*Type A strains associated with terrestrial animal reservoirs; type B strains with water-borne infections and aquatic animals
*Ticks and deerfly act as vectors
*Ticks and deerfly act as vectors
*Fatal infection in humans, with ulers and lymphadenopathy; vaccine available
*High lipid content; virulent isolates produce capsules
*High lipid content; virulent isolates produce capsules
*Highly virulent type A stains, ''F. tularensis'' subspecies ''tularensis'' in North America; less virulent type B strains, ''F. tularensis'' subspecies ''holarctica'' in Eurasia and North America
*Highly virulent type A stains, ''F. tularensis'' subspecies ''tularensis'' in North America; less virulent type B strains, ''F. tularensis'' subspecies ''holarctica'' in Eurasia and North America
*Infection through skin abrasions or arthropod bites, inhalation or ingestion
*Organism survives and replicates in acidic environment of macrophages by inhibiting phagosome/lysosome fusion
*Acidic environment required for release of iron, required for growth, from tranferin
*Lymphadenitis and septicaemia
*Enlarged lymph nodes with pale necrotic foci
*Miliary lesions in spleen and liver
*Pulmonary consolidation; primary pulmonary lesions due to aerosol inhalation in dogs
===Clinical infections===
===Clinical infections===
*
*Fulminant disease in immunosuppressed
*Septicaemia with fever, depression, inappetence, stiffness
*Chronic granulomatous or subclinical infections
*Type A strains cause most infections in domestic animals; type B strains cause mild disease
*Rare outbreaks of tularaemia in sheep, horses and young pigs
*Adult pigs and cattle resistant
*Dogs and cats seroconvert without clinical signs
===Diagnosis===
*Heavy tick infestation in severely infected animals in an endemic area indicate tularaemia
*Blood serology - high agglutinating antibody titres or rising antibody titre
*Scraping from ulcers, lymph node aspirates and biopsy material
*Post mortem
*Fluorescent antibody technique on tissues, exudates or culture
*Glucose-cysteine-blood agar used for culture
*Small, grey, mucoid colonies, surrounded by narrow zone of incomplete haemolysis, after 3-4 days incubation
*Immunofluorescence confirms presence in smears
*Slide agglutination test on cultures
*Biochemical tests to distinguish type A from type B strains
*PCR for detection in blood
*Isolation in embryonated eggs or lab animals
===Treatment===
*Antibiotics including amikacin, streptomycin, fluoroquinolones
===Control===
*Ectoparasite control
*Daily removal of ticks from dogs and cats
*Prevent dogs and cats hunting wildlife