EPA-OW: Ft-SG: Francisella tularensis plate count method
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Official Method Name
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CDC, ASM, APHL: Basic Protocols for Level A Laboratories for the Presumptive Identification of Francisella tularensis |
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Current Revision
| 2008 |
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Media
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VARIOUS |
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Instrumentation
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Plate Count |
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Method Subcategory
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Microbiological |
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Method Source
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Citation
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Sentinel Laboratory Guidelines from Suspected Agents of Bioterrorism: American Society for Microbiology. Final 8/8/03. 23 p. |
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Brief Method Summary
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This method describes procedures for analysis of clinical samples and may be adapted for assessment of solid, particulate, and liquid samples. Samples are plated directly on a cysteine-supplemented media such as CA, Thayer-Martin (TM) agar, or buffered charcoal yeast extract (BCYE) agar. After incubation at 35 to 37 degrees C for at least 48 hours, F. tularensis forms small, gray-white to opaque colonies. Presumptive identification is made by culture examination, microscopy, motility testing, and biochemical testing. F. tularensis is a minute, pleomorphic, faint-straining, Gram-negative coccobacillus and is weakly catalase-positive, oxidase-negative, beta-lactamase-positive, and urease-negative. Cultures (isolates) that cannot be ruled out as F. tularensis based on the characteristics noted above may be referred to an appropriate reference laboratory for confirmation. |
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Scope and Application
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This method describes procedures for presumptive identification of Francisella tularensis. The method is intended for the culture analysis of clinical samples but may be adapted for assessment of solid, particulate, and liquid samples. |
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Applicable Concentration Range
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Interferences
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Cross contamination could interfere with results. |
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Quality Control Requirements
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At a minimum, the following QC checks should be performed and evaluated when using this protocol: positive control, negative control, and blank. Ongoing analysis of QC samples to ensure reliability of the analytical results should also be performed. SAM lists these procedures for detection in solid, particulate, aerosol, liquid, and water samples. Further research is needed to develop and standardize the procedures for environmental sample types. |
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Sample Handling
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Maximum Holding Time
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Relative Cost
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Less than $50 |
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Sample Preparation Methods
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