Francisella tularensis Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Francisella tularensis is a small gram-negative coccobacillus that is carried in numerous animal species, especially rabbits, and is the causal agent of tularemia (Rabbit fever, Deer fly fever, Ohara disease, or Francis disease) in humans. F. tularensis can be divided into three subspecies, F. tularensis (Type […]
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an acid fast gram positive rods that are non-spore forming, non-motile, slightly curved, aerobic and slow-growing. Disease/Infection Latent tuberculosis, pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis, Potts disease. Pathogenicity Approximately 3% to 4% of infected individuals acquire active tuberculosis during the first year after tuberculin conversion, […]
Yersinia pestis Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Gram negative rod-ovoid 0.5-0.8 µm in width and 1-3 µm in length (safety pin appearance), bipolar staining (Giemsa) facultative intracellular, non-motile. Disease/Infection Y. pestis causes a zoonotic disease of rodents and in humans can take the form of bubonic, septicemic or pneumonic plague. Pathogenicity Humans generally contract the […]
Acanthamoeba castellanii Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Acanthamoeba is a parasite that given the opportunity can threaten sight and cause encephalitis. Disease/Infection Acanthamoeba is a parasite that is found commonly in water, soil and air. Acanthamoeba Castellanii is one of eight species that has been found to cause Acanthamoeba Keratitis, a potentially blinding […]
Ascaris suum Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-414-7647 Agent Ascaris suum also known as “large roundworm of pigs” is a parasitic nematode that causes ascariasis in pigs. It is considered to be a different species from roundworms normally found in humans, but can cross infect. Some consider Ascaris suum to be same species as human […]
Burkholderia cepacia Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Burkholderia cepacia are aerobic rod-shaped, free-living, motile Gram- negative bacteria ranging from 1.6- 3.2 μm. They have been found to possess multitrichous polar flagella as well as pili used for attachment. Burkholderia cepacia can be found in soil, water, and infected plants, animals, and humans. B. […]
Chlamydia trachomatis Agent Information Sheet
Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) Boston University 617-358-7647 Agent Chlamydiae are small obligate intracellular parasites and were once considered to be viruses. However, they contain DNA, RNA and ribosomes and make their own proteins and nucleic acids and are now considered to be true bacteria. They possess an inner and outer membrane similar gram-negative bacteria […]
Cowpox Brighton virus Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Cowpox Brighton virus was the first virus to be used as a vaccine against smallpox. It is an orthopoxvirus related to smallpox and vaccinia. Disease/Infection Cowpox Brighton virus is the causative agent of bovine vaccinia. It causes rare occupational infections in humans and outside laboratory settings […]
Enterohemorrhagic or Shiga-toxin E. coli
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent E. coli O157:H7 Gram negative rod; motile, aerobic; 63% produce Vero/Shiga toxins (VT/STx), 2 types, VT1/Stx1 and VT2/Stx2 (STEC); serotyping to determine somatic and flagellar antigens Disease/Infection Hemorrhagic colitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome Pathogenicity Can cause moderate to severe infection marked by hemorrhagic colitis, which can lead […]
Haemophilus influenzae Agent Information Sheet
Boston University Research Occupational Health Program (ROHP) 617-358-7647 Agent Haemophilus influenzae is an anaerobic, Gram negative coccobacillus that is non-motile and non-acid-fast. It is a respiratory tract membrane obligate parasite that requires hemin and NAD for in vitro growth. H .influenzae is classified into six antigenically distinct serotypes (a to f) based on capsular polysaccharide antigen. […]