Tularemia under Histological and Immunohistochemistry Examinations

Abstract

Francisella tularensis is the aetiological agent of tularemia. Hares, rabbits, and small rodents are the main hosts. Humans can be infected and develop severe clinical symptoms. The occurrence of tularemia was studied with histological and immunohistochemistry examinations in 257 Lepus europaeus tissue samples in different parts of Macedonia (FYROM). Francisella tularensis seems to be an important pathogen in the surveyed area.The postmortem findings in hares dying of tularemia were characterized by focal coagulative necrosis in liver, spleen and bone marrow, with high numbers of gram-positive bacteria for Francisellatularensis. In Lepus europaeus tissue samples the most characteristic findings were hemorrhagic enteritis and typhlitis, although necrotic lesions could occur in liver, spleen and bone marrow. The presence of granulomatous inflammation was used as an indicator of Francisellatularensis infection. Further samples are being analyzed and advanced tests will be used in order to identify the most proper and affordable screening and confirmatory tests for monitoring the epidemiological situation of Francisellatularensisinfection. The sampling of tissues and organs is a simple process, less costly and more effective for the evaluation of cases of tularemia in the population of rabbits under histological and immunohistochemistry examinations. Postmortem histological and immunohistochemical examinations were the simplest methods of work. Keywords: Tularemia, Francisellatularensis, Lepus europaeus, tissue samples.