Volume 16, Number 1—January 2010
Letter
Real-Time PCR for Diagnosis of Oculoglandular Tularemia
Max Maurin
, Bernard Castan, Nathalie Roch, Brieuc Gestin, Isabelle Pelloux, Alexandra Mailles, Christophe Chiquet, and Pascal Chavanet
, Bernard Castan, Nathalie Roch, Brieuc Gestin, Isabelle Pelloux, Alexandra Mailles, Christophe Chiquet, and Pascal ChavanetTable
Characteristics of the 2 patients in the study and test results for tularemia, France*
| Characteristic | Patient A | Patient B |
|---|---|---|
| Age, y/sex | 43/F | 42/F |
| Blood leukocyte count at admission, cells/mm3 | 21,600 | 4,000–10,000 |
| Blood granulocyte count at admission, cells/mm3 | 17,900 | 2,000–8,000 |
| C-reactive protein level at admission, mg/L |
51 |
39 |
| Serologic test results for Francisella tularensis | ||
| First serum sample, d | 6 | 16 |
| Microagglutination titer | <20 | <20 |
| Immunofluorescent IgM titer | <20 | <20 |
| Immunofluorescent IgG titer | <20 | <20 |
| Second serum sample, d | 90 | 39 |
| Microagglutination titer | 80 | 160 |
| Immunofluorescent IgM titer | 160 | 320 |
| Immunofluorescent IgG titer |
160 |
320 |
| Real-time PCR result for ISFtu2 and tul4, sample (cycle threshold for each test, respectively) | Positive, conjunctival discharge (32.4 and 34.9) | Positive, pretragal lymph node (22.3 and 24.5) |
| Francisella sp. culture, sample | Positive, conjunctival discharge | Negative |
| Francisella subsp. identification | subsp. holarctica | subsp. holarctica |
*Ig, immunoglobulin.
