Difference between revisions of "Francisella tularensis"
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*Causes tularaemia in animals and humans | *Causes tularaemia in animals and humans | ||
| − | *Wildlife reservoir of infection | + | *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 |
| + | *Ticks and deerfly act as vectors | ||
| Line 18: | Line 19: | ||
*No growth on MacConkey | *No growth on MacConkey | ||
*Facultative intracellular pathogen | *Facultative intracellular pathogen | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ===Pathogenesis and pathogenicity=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | *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 | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ===Clinical infections=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | * | ||
Revision as of 14:02, 26 May 2008
Overview
- Causes tularaemia in animals and humans
- Wildlife reservoir of infection, including rabbits, rodents, galliform birds and deer
- 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
- Ticks and deerfly act as vectors
Characteristics
- Gram negative rod with coccobacillary appearance
- Non-moltile, obligate aerobe
- Oxidase negative, weakly catalase positive
- Fastidious, requiring cysteine for growth on blood agar
- No growth on MacConkey
- Facultative intracellular pathogen
Pathogenesis and pathogenicity
- 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