Francisella

Question 1

Francisella

-general

Answer 1

Very fastidious growth
Rich media
Supplementary cysteine
Reportable
Highly contagious

Question 2

Francisella tularensis

• reservoir
• transmission

Answer 2

1. Reservoir: infected lagomorph, rodents, amoeba

2. Transmission: ticks, mosquitos, flies; contaminated waters; ingestionof infected prey

Question 3

Francisella tularensis

• virulence factors
• clinical presentation

Answer 3

1. Capsule - anti-complement
   Endotoxin - LPS
   Factors that promote intracellular survival in phagocytes
2. symptoms are rarely seen (succumb fast); mainly liver, spleen, lungs affected

Question 4

Francisella tularensis

• spread
• pathogenesis

Answer 4

1. subsp. tularensis = N. America = Type A, more virulent
   subsp. holarctica = EU = Type B, milder disease
   subsp. mediasiatica = Central Asia
2. Always a systemic phase with multi-organ failure; facultative intracellular (macrophages)