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francisella tularensis

Francisella (F.) tularensis is a highly virulent bacterial pathogen that is resistant to environ-mental stresses and causes tularemia. This disease affects wild animals like hares and small mammals, and is colloquially known as rabbit fever. Tularemia is transmitted through contact of the skin and mucous membranes with infectious animal material. F. tularensis can infect people when acquired through the consumption of contaminated meat or other foods that have not been sufficiently heated. Infection can also come from drinking contaminated water, inhaling contaminated dust or aerosols, or through stings and bites of infected blood-feeding arthropods. The less virulent subtype F. tularensis subsp. holarctica is common in Europe. The illness caused in humans by this pathogen generally heals spontaneously.