title: In vitro susceptibility of isolates of Francisella tularensis types A and B from North America.
abstract: Due to concern that Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, may be used as a bioterrorist weapon, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recently provided a susceptibility testing method with breakpoints. Here, 169 isolates (92 type A and 77 type B) from North America were tested against seven antimicrobial agents (streptomycin, gentamicin, tetracycline, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and chloramphenicol) used for the treatment of tularemia. The MICs for all of the isolates fell within the susceptible range. In addition, all isolates had MICs for erythromycin of 0.5 to 4 microg/ml, in contrast to an MIC of >256 microg/ml for the common laboratory strain LVS (live vaccine strain).
authors.affiliation: Bacterial Diseases Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fort Collins, Colorado 80521, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Urich
authors.forename: Jeannine M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Petersen
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000592:standards; D009656:North America; D014406:Tularemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents