Vet Med - Czech, 2011, 56(9):453-461 | DOI: 10.17221/3207-VETMED

Diagnosis of tularemia using biochemical, immunochemical and molecular methods: a review

M. Pohanka1, R. Chlibek1, K. Kuca1, H. Bandouchova2, J. Pikula2
1 Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
2 Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic

Tularemia, an infection caused by the intracellular gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis, is accompanied by high mortality and occurs throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The causative agent is also considered one of the most important biological warfare agents. As well as its taxonomy and epidemiology, the basic immunochemical, biochemical, and molecular approaches for disease diagnosis are outlined in this review. Aspects of immune responses during tularemia and damage to specific organs are discussed with regards to the predictive value of standard biomarkers. Bacterial burden is also considered as a limitation for polymerase-chain-reaction-based diagnosis.

Keywords: Francisella tularensis; tularaemia; zoonosis; pathogenesis; assay

Published: September 30, 2011  Show citation

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Pohanka M, Chlibek R, Kuca K, Bandouchova H, Pikula J. Diagnosis of tularemia using biochemical, immunochemical and molecular methods: a review. Vet Med - Czech. 2011;56(9):453-461. doi: 10.17221/3207-VETMED.
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