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Environmental Implications Of Francisella Tularensis Biofilms, Jeffrey J. Margolis '00
Environmental Implications Of Francisella Tularensis Biofilms, Jeffrey J. Margolis '00
Jeffrey Margolis
Francisella tularensis survives in one of the widest environmental ranges of any pathogen. Numerous mammals and arthropod vectors are infected by this highly virulent organism. How this zoonotic pathogen persists outside of its many hosts remains unexplored. We aimed to examine how F. tularensis interacts with environmental surfaces, and hypothesized that biofilm formation may enable survival of this organism in nature. By understanding the role these surface-attached bacterial communities play in F. tularensis ecology, we hope to gain insight into the mechanisms of environmental persistence and transmission of this pathogen.
We identify chitin as a potential non-host niche for F. …