Identification and classification of different isolates of XXXX .

@entity1 @entity5092 @entity95 @entity281 @entity37187 @entity6588
The causative agent of @entity6588 , @entity5092 , occurs in two main biovars, the highly virulent F. t. biovar tularensis, found in North America; and the less virulent biovar palaearctica, found all over the northern hemisphere. Two other biovars have been proposed, F. t. biovar mediaasiatica and F. t. biovar palaearctica var. japonica. In Sweden @entity6588 is most frequently observed in @entity1 and varying hares (Lepus timidus), and occasionally in other species. @entity6588 in hares is normally an acute fatal disease, although less fatal @entity281 have been reported. The diagnosis of @entity6588 is routinely based on immunological reactions. We studied 10 different isolates of @entity5092 from varying hares, one isolate from an Ural owl (Strix uralensis), one vaccine strain, one strain of F. @entity37187 , and six isolates from a virulence study of @entity5092 , by biochemical tests and by hybridization experiments with probes complementary to 16S rRNA. All isolates, except the isolate F. @entity37187 , were characterized as F. t. biovar palaearctica by biochemical tests. In the 16S rRNA analysis all isolates were positive to the probe for @entity5092 and the probe for F. t. biovar palaearctica with the exception that F. @entity37187 reacted with the probe specific to F. t. biovar tularensis. To further confirm that the strains used belonged to F. t. biovar palaearctica virulence tests in @entity95 were performed which disclosed this phenotype. The results presented in this work show that the isolated strains from the western part of Europe were F. t. biovar palaearctica, irrespective of animal origin or virulence.
