Tularemia Blood Test – Indications, Procedures, Results

Last updated: February 8, 2026 Medically reviewed by: RxHarun Orthopedic Specialist Doctor Reading time: 7 min read

Tularemia test; Serology for Francisella tularensis

Serology for tularemia is a blood test that checks for infection caused by bacteria called Francisella tularensis (F tularensis), which causes the disease tularemia.

Tularemia blood test checks for infection caused by bacteria called Francisella tularensis (F tularensis). The bacteria causes the disease tularemia. Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand.

F. tularensis isolation is tedious and detection of its DNA usually requires removal of infected tissues, serological techniques are most often used for diagnostic confirmation. However, these techniques are varied and poorly standardized. The microagglutination test (MAT), the indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA), and ELISA tests are currently the most frequently used techniques. These homemade and commercial tests are mainly used for tularemia diagnosis but also for seroprevalence studies. ELISA tests detect specific antibodies within two weeks of disease evaluation, compared to 2–3 weeks for MAT and IFA. However, more false-positive results are usually reported with ELISA.

How the Test is Performed

A blood sample is needed.

The sample is sent to a laboratory where it is examined for Francisella antibodies using a method called serology. This method checks if your body has produced substances called antibodies to a specific foreign substance ( antigen ), in this case F tularensis .

Antibodies defend your body against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. If antibodies are present, they are in the serum of your blood. The serum is the liquid portion of blood.

How to Prepare for the Test

There is no special preparation.

How the Test will Feel

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, you may feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or bruising. This soon goes away.

Why the Test is Performed

This blood test is done when tularemia is suspected.

Normal Results

A normal result is no antibodies are found in the serum.

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or may test different specimens. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.

What Abnormal Results Mean

If antibodies are detected, there has been exposure to F tularensis .

If antibodies are found, it means you either have a current or past infection with F tularensis . In some cases, a single high level of antibodies that are specific to F tularensis means you have an infection.

During the early stage of an illness, few antibodies may be detected. Antibody production increases during the course of an infection. For this reason, this test may be repeated several weeks after the first test.

Risks

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another, and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:

Excessive bleeding
Fainting or feeling lightheaded
Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)

FAQ

How do you know if you have tularemia?

Possible symptoms include skin ulcers, swollen and painful lymph glands, inflamed eyes, sore throat, mouth sores, diarrhea, or pneumonia. If the bacteria are inhaled, symptoms can include abrupt onset of fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, dry cough, and progressive weakness.

What common approach is used to confirm a tularemia infection?

The diagnosis of tularemia is usually based on serology results. Tests vary from antibody detection (using latex agglutination or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] testing) to the examination of a range of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay products.

How is Francisella tularensis diagnosed?

Laboratory Diagnosis

Isolation of F. tularensis from a clinical specimen; appropriate specimens include swabs or scrapings of ulcers, lymph node aspirates or biopsies, pharyngeal swabs, or respiratory specimens (e.g. pleural fluid), depending on the form of illness. Blood cultures may often be negative.

What is a tularemia antibody?

If antibodies are detected, there has been exposure to F tularensis. If antibodies are found, it means you either have a current or past infection with F tularensis. In some cases, a single high level of antibodies that are specific to F tularensis means you have an infection.

Does tularemia go away on its own?

Fever may be high and may go away for a short time only to return. Untreated, the fever usually lasts about four weeks. Other symptoms depend on the type of tularemia.

What is the treatment for tularemia?

Antibiotics used to treat tularemia include streptomycin, gentamicin, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin. Treatment usually lasts 10 to 21 days depending on the stage of illness and the medication used. Although symptoms may last for several weeks, most patients completely recover.

What is the most common clinical presentation of tularemia?

Ulceroglandular This is the most common form of tularemia and usually occurs following a tick or deer fly bite or after the handling of an infected animal. A skin ulcer appears at the site where the bacteria entered the body. The ulcer is accompanied by swelling of regional lymph glands, usually in the armpit or groin.

What is the mortality rate of tularemia?

The overall mortality rate for severe Type A strains has been 5–15 percent, but in pulmonic or septicemic cases of tularemia without antibiotic treatment, the mortality rate has been as high as 30–60 percent. With treatment, the most recent mortality rates in the U.S. have been 2 percent.

What is the treatment for Bartonella?

All immunocompromised patients with a Bartonella infection should receive antibiotic therapy (erythromycin 500 mg p.o. four times daily or doxycycline 100 mg p.o. twice daily); patients who have relapsed after the recommended treatment should then receive secondary prophylactic antibiotic treatment with erythromycin.

Is there a vaccine for tularemia?

No tularemia vaccine is currently available to protect the U.S. population. A previous vaccine developed in the former Soviet Union is not approved for use in the U.S. due to questions about its safety and stability.

What happens if you get tularemia?

Tularemia has the potential to affect various organ systems of the body including the central nervous system, heart, and liver resulting in inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis), inflammation of the lining of the heart (endocarditis), and inflammation of the liver (hepatitis).

Is tularemia contagious from person to person?

Tularemia is not known to be spread from person to person. People who have tularemia do not need to be isolated. People who have been exposed to tularemia bacteria should be treated as soon as possible. The disease can be fatal if it is not treated with the right antibiotics.

How can tularemia be prevented?

How many types of tularemia are there?

Six forms of tularemia are seen in humans: typhoidal, ulceroglandular, glandular, oculoglandular, oropharyngeal and pneumonic. The form of the disease depends on the inoculation site.

What is another name for tularemia?

Tularemia
Other names	Tularaemia, Pahvant Valley plague, rabbit fever, deer fly fever, Ohara’s fever
A tularemia lesion on the back of the right hand
Specialty	Infectious disease
Symptoms	Fever, skin ulcer, large lymph nodes

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.

References

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Written by Dr. Harun Ar Rashid, MD - Arthritis, Bones, Joints Pain, Trauma, and Internal Medicine Specialist

Dr. Md. Harun Ar Rashid, MPH, MD, PhD, is a highly respected medical specialist celebrated for his exceptional clinical expertise and unwavering commitment to patient care. With advanced qualifications including MPH, MD, and PhD, he integrates cutting-edge research with a compassionate approach to medicine, ensuring that every patient receives personalized and effective treatment. His extensive training and hands-on experience enable him to diagnose complex conditions accurately and develop innovative treatment strategies tailored to individual needs. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Harun Ar Rashid is dedicated to medical education and research, writing and inventory creative thinking, innovative idea, critical care managementing make in his community to outreach, often participating in initiatives that promote health awareness and advance medical knowledge. His career is a testament to the high standards represented by his credentials, and he continues to contribute significantly to his field, driving improvements in both patient outcomes and healthcare practices. Born and educated in Bangladesh, Dr. Rashid earned his BPT from the University of Dhaka before pursuing postgraduate training internationally. He completed his MD in Internal Medicine at King’s College London, where he developed a special interest in inflammatory arthritis and metabolic bone disease. He then undertook a PhD in Orthopedic Science at the University of Oxford, conducting pioneering research on cytokine signaling pathways in rheumatoid arthritis. Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Rashid returned to clinical work with a fellowship in interventional pain management at the Rx University School of Medicine, refining his skills in image-guided joint injections and minimally invasive pain-relief techniques.