What type of bacteria is tularemia?

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.

Is tularemia Gram positive or negative?

Tularemia is infection that is caused by the gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria stain red when this process is used.

Is Francisella gram positive?

Francisella are small, aerobic, catalase-positive, pleomorphic, gram-negative coccobacilli.

Is tularensis gram-negative?

Francisella Tularensis is a highly virulent intracellular gram-negative bacterium [1]. The organism is usually isolated from wild and domestic animals and invertebrates.

What is the most common clinical presentation of tularemia?

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. A skin ulcer appears at the site where the bacteria entered the body. The ulcer is accompanied by swelling of regional lymph glands, usually in the armpit or groin.

Is Francisella tularensis Gram positive or gram-negative?

Francisella tularensis — Gram Stain Tiny, pleomorphic, poorly staining gram-negative coccobacillus (0.2 to 0.5 by 0.7 to 1.0 microns). In clinical specimens, these forms can be found intracellularly. Seen mostly as single cells.

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. Many other animals have also been known to become ill with tularemia.

Is Francisella aerobic or anaerobic?

Francisella tularensis is a small, non-motile, bipolar staining Gram-negative coccobacillus. It is an obligate aerobe and grows poorly on ordinary culture media. Its growth is stimulated by the presence of cysteine in the medium.

Does Francisella grow on blood agar?

Culture Characteristics: Will grow initially on sheep’s blood agar (SBA), but growth is poor or absent on subculture.

Is Francisella tularensis Gram positive or negative?

How do you get Francisella tularensis?

Small mammals such as voles, mice, squirrels, and rabbits are natural reservoirs for F. tularensis. These animals acquire tularemia through bites from ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes and also through contact with contaminated environments.