Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39825256›Full record

ArticleBMC microbiology2025

Detection of Francisellaceae and the differentiation of main European F. tularensis ssp. holarctica strains (Clades) by new designed qPCR assays.

Kristin Köppen, Kerstin Rydzewski, Julia Zajac, Marwah Al-Senwi, Sema Evcimen, Darius Schulze, Daniela Jacob, Klaus Heuner

Abstract readEvaluation Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC microbiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kristin KöppenCellular Interactions of Bacterial Pathogens, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Robert Koch Institute, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Kerstin RydzewskiCellular Interactions of Bacterial Pathogens, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Robert Koch Institute, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Julia ZajacCellular Interactions of Bacterial Pathogens, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Robert Koch Institute, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Marwah Al-SenwiCellular Interactions of Bacterial Pathogens, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Robert Koch Institute, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Sema EvcimenCellular Interactions of Bacterial Pathogens, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Robert Koch Institute, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Darius SchulzeCellular Interactions of Bacterial Pathogens, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Robert Koch Institute, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
Daniela JacobNational Consultant Laboratory for Francisella Tularensis, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany.
Klaus HeunerCellular Interactions of Bacterial Pathogens, Centre for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Highly Pathogenic Microorganisms (ZBS 2), Robert Koch Institute, Seestraße 10, 13353, Berlin, Germany. HeunerK@rki.de.

Funding

Bundesministerium für Gesundheit 2522PAT006
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe zoonotic and highly infectious pathogen Francisella tularensis is the etiological agent of tularemia. Tularemia in humans is mainly caused by F. tularensis subspecies tularensis and holarctica, but Francisella species like F. novicida, F. philomiragia, F. hispaniensis and others are known to cause tularemia-like infections in immunocompromised humans. In addition to these Francisella species, further genera of the family Francisellaceae have been described, such as Allofrancisella, Parafrancisella and Pseudofrancisella, but less is known about the distribution and putative virulence of these genera. The methods currently available were not made for a fast and easy detection of all these strains and genera of Francisellaceae.

resultsWe developed a multiplex quantitative real-time PCR assay that can accurately detect all genera of Francisellaceae, including Francisella, Francisella-like endosymbionts, Allofrancisella, Parafrancisella and Pseudofrancisella. In addition, we developed a qPCR assay to differentiate the major clades (B.4, B.6 and B.12 [B.71 and B.72]) of F. tularensis ssp. holarctica strains. Both primer sets were shown to work on isolated DNA out of human and tick samples.

conclusionSince the developed qPCRs are able to detect all genera of Francisellaceae tested, an easy and fast identification of opportunistic Francisella strains causing tularemia-like symptoms in humans or animals is possible now. The application of these qPCR assays will thus improve the capability for clinical diagnostics and molecular typing during epidemiological investigations.

Indexed as

Francisella tularensisMultiplex Polymerase Chain ReactionReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionTularemiaAnimalsDNA, BacterialEuropeHumansSensitivity and SpecificityDNA, BacterialDiagnosticFrancisellaceaeFrancisella tularensis ssp. holarcticaqPCRTularemia

Identifiers

PMID39825256
PMCPMC11740472

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.