An immunohistochemical test was developed and validated for detection of Francisella tularensis antigen in tissues of cats with fatal tularemia. Ten cases of naturally occurring tularemia in cats were positive both by isolation of F. tularensis and immunohistochemical identification of F. tularensis antigen. Nine additional cases with lesions typical of tularemia were positive for F. tularensis antigen, although bacterial cultures were not performed. Immunohistochemical identification of F. tularensis in formalin-fixed tissue is valuable for establishing a rapid etiologic diagnosis under circumstances where fresh tissues may not be available for isolation and identification of the organism.
References
1.
BaldwinCJPancieraRJMortonRJ: 1991, Acute tularemia in three domestic catsJ Am Vet Med Assoc199:1602–1605
2.
BarkerIK: 1993, The peritoneum and retroperitoneumIn: Pathology of domestic animals, ed.JubbKVFKennedyPCPalmerN, 4th ed., vol. 2, pp. 438–441. Academic Press, San Diego, CA
3.
ClarridgeJERaichTJSjostedA: 1996, Characterization of two unusual clinically significant Francisella strainsJ Clin Microbiol34:1995–2000
4.
ClausKDNewhallJHMeeD: 1959, Isolation of Pasteurella tularensis from foalsJ Bacteriol78:294–295
5.
CoffeeWMMillerJ: 1959, Acute canine tularemia: a case reportJ Am Vet Med Assoc102:210–212
6.
EidsonMThilstedJPRollagOJ: 1991, Clinical, clinicopathologic, and pathologic features of plague in cats: 119 cases (1977–1988)J Am Vet Med Assoc199:1191–1197
7.
FrankFWMeinershagenWA: 1961, Tularemia epizootic in sheepVet Med56:374–378
8.
GliattoJMRaeJFMcDonoughPLDasbachJJ: 1994, Feline tularemia on Nantucket Island, MassachusettsJ Vet Diagn Invest6:102–105
9.
GustafsonBWDeBowesLJ: 1996, Tularemia in a dogJ Am Anim Hosp Assoc32:339–341
10.
JellisonWLOwenCRBellJF: 1961, Tularemia and animal populations: ecology and epizootiologyWild Dis17:1–15
11.
JohanssonAIbrahimAGöranssonI: 2000, Evaluation of PCR-based methods for discrimination of Francisella species and subspecies and development of a specific PCR that distinguishes the two major subspecies of Francisella tularensis.J Clin Microbiol38:4180–4185
12.
JohnsonHN: 1944, Natural occurrence of tularemia in dogs used as a source of canine distemper virusJ Lab Clin Med29:906–915
13.
MairNSHarbourneJFGreenwoodMTWhiteG: 1967, Pasteurella pseudotuberculosis infection in the cat: two casesVet Rec81:461–462
14.
RhyanJCGahaganTFalesWH: 1990, Tularemia in a catJ Vet Diagn Invest2:239–241
15.
SpearmanJGHuntPNayarPSG: 1979, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in a catCan Vet J20:361–364
16.
WatsonRPBlanchardTWMenseMGGasperPW: 2001, Histopathology of experimental plague in catsVet Pathol38:165–172
17.
WoodsJPCrystalMAMortonRJPancieraRJ: 1998, Tularemia in two catsJ Am Vet Med Assoc212:81–83
