Rapid laboratory diagnosis of ulceroglandular tularemia with polymerase chain reaction.
Tularemia is a zoonotic disease which, in Scandinavia, is usually acquired through a mosquito bite. As the infecting organism, Francisella tularensis, is highly virulent the culturing of F. tularensis has generally been avoided. PCR offers a safe way to rapidly confirm diagnosis of tularemia. The case of a 9-y-old boy with ulceroglandular tularemia is presented. The diagnosis was made rapidly with DNA amplification from a pus specimen. The efficacy of ciprofloxacin treatment of tularemia in children is also discussed.
Karhukorpi
E K
EK
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Oulu, Finland.
Karhukorpi
J
J
D002648:Child; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014406:Tularemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000503:physiopathology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial