Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2017
Francisella tularensis in muscle from diseased hares - a risk factor for humans?
Hestvik, G.; Uhlhorn, H.; Jinnerot, T.; Akerstrom, S.; Sodersten, F.; Gavier-Widen, D.Abstract
Tularemia caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis is a zoonotic disease. Tularemia is a common disease in the hare, and as a game species can be an important source of infection for humans. In this study, hares diagnosed with tularemia were examined with the aim to investigate whether the muscle (meat) had any pathological changes and/or contained F. tularensis. Real-time PCR and/or immunohistochemistry (IHC) detected the bacteria in muscle samples from 40 out of 43 investigated hares. IHC showed that bacteria were few and most commonly located in the peri- and endomysium. Histopathology showed occasional perimysial necroses and mild inflammation in association to the bacteria. Attempts to culture from 14 muscle samples were successful in two cases, both stored in the freezer <1 year. The result of this study shows that since F. tularensis is present in the muscle of infected hares, there is a risk for human infection when consuming undercooked hare meat. The risk is enhanced by the fact that some hares do not have easily detected gross lesions. The study contributes to a better understanding of sources of infection and risk factors for humans to contract tularemia.Keywords
Francisella; hare meat; immunohistochemistry; pathology; tularemiaPublished in
Epidemiology and Infection2017, volume: 145, number: 16, pages: 3449-3454
Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS
Authors' information
Hestvik, Gete
National Veterinary Institute (SVA)
Hestvik, Gete
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedical Science and Veterinary Public Health
Uhlhorn, H
National Veterinary Institute (SVA)
Jinnerot, Tomas
National Veterinary Institute (SVA)
Åkerström, S.
National Veterinary Institute (SVA)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedical Science and Veterinary Public Health
Gavier-Widen, Dolores (Gavier Widén, Dolores)
National Veterinary Institute (SVA)
Gavier-Widen, Dolores (Gavier Widén, Dolores)
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedical Science and Veterinary Public Health
UKÄ Subject classification
Pathobiology
Publication Identifiers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268817002540
URI (permanent link to this page)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/93386