Francisella tularensis

Identity

Preferred Scientific Name

• Francisella tularensis

Other Scientific Names

• Bacterium tularense
• Brucella tularensis
• Pasteurella tularense
• Pasteurella tularensis

Taxonomic Tree

• Domain: Bacteria
•     Phylum: Proteobacteria
•         Class: Zymobacteria
•             Class: Alphaproteobacteria
•                 Order: Thiotrichales
•                     Family: Francisellaceae
•                         Genus: Francisella
•                             Species: Francisella tularensis

Disease/s Table

Distribution Table

The distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.

Pathogen Characteristics

Francisella tularensis is a facultative intracellular bacterium in the family Francisellaceae that causes the acute zoonosis tularaemia.

F. tularensis is a small, pleomorphic, non-motile, Gram-negative coccobacillus (0.2-0.5 µm by 0.7-1.0 µm), that is an obligate aerobe with optimal growth at 37°C. It is oxidase-negative, weakly-positive and cysteine is required for growth.

F. tularensis has a broad host range and is ubiquitous in the Northern Hemisphere (Sjöstedt, 2007). There are four subspecies: F. tularensis subsp. tularensis (type A), F. tularensis subsp. holarctica (type B), F. tularensis subsp. mediasiatica and F. tularensis subsp. novicida [although it has been suggested that the latter is a separate species, F. novicida]. Types A and B are considered most important for causing disease in humans and animals. Type A, the most virulent of the subspecies, is present almost exclusively in North America and type B is distributed all over the Northern Hemisphere, but predominately in Asia and Europe. F. tularensis subsp. mediasiatica has only been isolated in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in Central Asia (Keim et al., 2007). F. tularensis subsp. novicida has been reported from North America and Australia (Whipp et al., 2003; Siddaramappa et al., 2011; Brett et al., 2014).

Due to its low infectious dose, ease of spread by aerosol, and high virulence, F. tularensis is listed as a CDC category A select bioterrorism agent (Foley and Nieto, 2010). Because of its importance as a biothreat agent, F. tularensis has been the subject of intense genome sequencing efforts (Puiu and Salzberg, 2008; Svensson et al., 2012; Davenport et al., 2014).

Tularaemia is on the list of diseases notifiable to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). The distribution section contains data from OIE's Handistatus database on disease occurrence. Please see the AHPC library for further information from OIE, including the International Animal Health Code and the Manual of Standards for Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines. Also see the website: www.oie.int.

Host Animals

Vectors and Intermediate Hosts

References

Brett ME, Respicio-Kingry LB, Yendell S, Ratard R, Hand J, Balsamo G, Scott-Waldron C, O'Neal C, Kidwell D, Yockey B, Singh P, Carpenter J, Hill V, Petersen JM, Mead P, 2014. Outbreak of Francisella novicida bacteremia among inmates at a Louisiana correctional facility. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 59(6):826-833. http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/

Davenport KW, Daligault HE, Minogue TD, Bishop-Lilly KA, Broomall SM, Bruce DC, Chain PS, Coyne SR, Frey KG, Gibbons HS, Jaissle J, Koroleva GI, Ladner JT, Palacios GF, Redden CL, Rosenzweig CN, Scholz MB, Teshima H, Johnson SL, 2014. Whole-genome sequences of nine Francisella isolates. Genome Announcements, 2(5):e00941-14. http://genomea.asm.org/content/2/5/e00941-14.full

Foley JE, Nieto NC, 2010. Tularemia. Veterinary Microbiology, 140(3/4):332-338. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/03781135

Keim P, Johansson A, Wagner DM, 2007. Molecular epidemiology, evolution, and ecology of Francisella. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1105:30-66. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/nyas

OIE Handistatus, 2002. World Animal Health Publication and Handistatus II (dataset for 2001). Paris, France: Office International des Epizooties.

OIE Handistatus, 2003. World Animal Health Publication and Handistatus II (dataset for 2002). Paris, France: Office International des Epizooties.

OIE Handistatus, 2004. World Animal Health Publication and Handistatus II (data set for 2003). Paris, France: Office International des Epizooties.

OIE Handistatus, 2005. World Animal Health Publication and Handistatus II (data set for 2004). Paris, France: Office International des Epizooties.

Puiu D, Salzberg SL, 2008. Re-assembly of the genome of Francisella tularensis subsp. holarctica OSU18. PLos One, No.October:e3427. http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0003427

Siddaramappa S, Challacombe JF, Petersen JM, Pillai S, Hogg G, Kuske CR, 2011. Common ancestry and novel genetic traits of Francisella novicida-like isolates from North America and Australia as revealed by comparative genomic analyses. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 77(15):5110-5122. http://aem.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/77/15/5110

Sjöstedt A, 2007. Tularemia: history, epidemiology, pathogen physiology, and clinical manifestations. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1105:1-29. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/loi/nyas

Svensson K, Sjödin A, Byström M, Granberg M, Brittnacher MJ, Rohmer L, Jacobs MA, Sims-Day EH, Levy R, Zhou Y, Hayden HS, Lim R, Chang J, Guenthener D, Kang A, Haugen E, Gillett W, Kaul R, Forsman M, Larsson P, Johansson A, 2012. Genome sequence of Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica strain FSC200, isolated from a child with tularemia. Journal of Bacteriology, 194(24):6965-6966. http://jb.asm.org/content/194/24/6965.abstract

Whipp MJ, Davis JM, Lum G, Boer Jde , Zhou Y, Bearden SW, Petersen JM, Chu MC, Hogg G, 2003. Characterization of a novicida-like subspecies of Francisella tularensis isolated in Australia. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 52(9):839-842.

Distribution Maps

• = Present, no further details
• = Evidence of pathogen
• = Widespread
• = Last reported
• = Localised
• = Presence unconfirmed
• = Confined and subject to quarantine
• = See regional map for distribution within the country
• = Occasional or few reports

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