Study: Francisella tularensis remains virulent for months in cold water
Study: Francisella tularensis remains virulent for months in cold water
Although it is not spread through human contact, Francisella tularensis is one of the most infectious pathogenic bacteria known to science–so virulent, in fact, that it is considered a serious potential bioterrorist threat. It is thought that humans can contract respiratory tularemia, or rabbit fever–a rare and deadly disease–by inhaling as few as 10 airborne organisms.
Francisella tularensis
Image/CDC
Northern Arizona University professor David Wagner, director of the Pathogen and Microbiome Institute’s (PMI) Biodefense and Disease Ecology Center, began a three-year project in 2018 to better understand the life cycle and behavior of F. tularensis, funded through a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).