A case of Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica in China

Abstract

We report a highly unusual case of ulceroglandular tularemia in Beijing, China. The serological texting, and sequencing of three specific genes by PCR analysis, suggested that this case was infected by Francisella tularensis. Next, using 15 canonical single-nucleotide polymorphisms and insertion–deletion markers (SNPs-INDELs) and five variable-number tandem repeat loci (VNTRs), this case was assigned to a known clade from Russia, and not to the four clades that were previously identified, including previous Chinese isolates. The case that is reported herein provides evidence of type B tularemia in Beijing, and it demonstrates unprecedented levels of diversity of the Chinese variant of F. tularensis.