Francisella tularensis

Francisella tularensis is an infection acquired from animals. Although the pathogen is not a cause of nosocomial infections, it is a major hazard to workers in the clinical microbiology laboratory and could easily become a problem for the infection control officer in this setting. The organism can be cultured from many sites but is difficult to recover unless the appropriate media are used. A number of clinical syndromes are caused by this pathogen. Most are characterized by an ulceration and regional lymphadenopathy. Typhoidal tularemia, however, can present as an obscure fever often complicated by pneumonia. The therapy of choice for tularemia is streptomycin although gentamicin and tobramycin are reasonable alternatives.