An outbreak of respiratory tularemia caused by diverse clones of Francisella tularensis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The bacterium Francisella tularensis is recognized for its virulence, infectivity, genetic homogeneity, and potential as a bioterrorism agent. Outbreaks of respiratory tularemia, caused by inhalation of this bacterium, are poorly understood. Such outbreaks are exceedingly rare, and F. tularensis is seldom recovered from clinical specimens.

Methods

A localized outbreak of tularemia in Sweden was investigated. Sixty-seven humans contracted laboratory-verified respiratory tularemia. F. tularensis subspecies holarctica was isolated from the blood or pleural fluid of 10 individuals from July to September 2010. Using whole-genome sequencing and analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), outbreak isolates were compared with 110 archived global isolates.

Resul

SUBMITTER: Johansson A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4650766 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature