Amid all the news about bird flu, you may not have noticed similar stories in recent weeks regarding cases of tularemia, otherwise known as “rabbit fever.”an increase across the country. The disease is caused by Francisella tularensis bacteria and is usually spread to humans via tick or deer fly bitesas well as contact with infected animals such as rodents, prairie dogs, rabbits and hares, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And with the data now showing a 56 percent increase With cases occurring in the United States over the past decade, it is becoming increasingly important to know the symptoms it can cause in humans.
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Reported tularemia infections are widespread, but most are concentrated.
Latest information comes from the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Report published on January 2, which indicated that 2,462 reported infections with “rabbit fever” between 2011 and 2022. Most cases involved “children aged 5 to 9 years, older men, and Native Americans or natives of Alaska.
The cases have also been widely dispersed geographically, with at least one reported in 47 states. However, half of all infections have been seen in just four heartland states: Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The agency notes that the recent rise could be partly due to increased laboratory testing in recent years.
Scientists have discovered a new mode of transmission.
Although insect bites and direct animal exposure can sometimes lead the disease to spread to human hosts, this is not the only way. In 2000, a Massachusetts vineyard reported an outbreak that lasted six months and began when a lawn mower hit a nest of infected animals and aerosolized the bacterialeading to 15 illnesses and one death, according to Science Alert. More recent cases in Colorado also date back to a lawnmower incident.
The CDC designated the bacteria a “level 1 selection agent”. The highest risk level refers to organisms that “pose a serious threat to public health and safety” because they “pose the greatest risk of deliberate misuse with significant potential for mass casualties or devastating effects on the economy, critical infrastructure or public trust. according to the CDC biosecurity plan.
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There are a wide range of “rabbit fever” symptoms that you should pay attention to.
Tularemia infection can present yourself differently in humans depending on their transmission. According to the CDC, the most common is an ulcer that develops where it enters the body through a tick or fly bite, along with swelling of the lymph nodes in the area. Sometimes this may only manifest as glandular swelling, usually in the groin or armpits.
Swelling, redness, and irritation of the eyes may signal an oculoglandular infection when a person has touched their eyes after skinning an infected animal. Those who ingest the bacteria via contaminated water or food may also develop sore throats, canker sores, tonsillitis, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck.
The agency warns that the most serious cases develop during pneumonic transmission, which occurs when a person breathes in the bacteria. Typically, this causes coughing, chest pain, and difficulty breathing, but it can also occur if an infection spreads to the lungs from elsewhere in the body via the bloodstream.
Overall, the CDC notes that all forms are usually accompanied by a high fever of up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. It can also be life-threatening.
“The case fatality rate for tularemia is generally less than two percent, but may be higher depending on the clinical manifestations and the infectious strain,” notes the latest CDC report, adding that the infection can be treated with antibiotics.
There are basic precautions you can take to protect yourself.
Fortunately, a few simple steps can help reduce your risk of tularemia infection. The CDC suggests wearing pants, long-sleeved shirts, and socks when hiking or camping to avoid fly and tick bites. Any attached ticks should be removed quickly with tweezers. The agency also warns against drinking untreated surface water.
Those using lawn mowers should try to avoid hitting dead animals or potential nests, checking for potential carcasses before starting yard work. The CDC also says wearing a mask could help prevent inhaling aerosolized bacteria.
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Takeaway meals.
There has been an increase in tularemia infections over the past decade. Also known as “rabbit fever,” the illness is caused by bacteria that can be spread through contact with animals such as rabbits, hares, rodents and prairie dogs; drinking water or food contaminated with microorganisms; or breathe in aerosols that could be projected during landscaping or gardening work.
Symptoms can vary depending on how the bacteria is contracted, but generally involve a high fever accompanied by ulcers on the skin, in the mouth or in the eyes and regional swelling of the thyroid glands. Pneumatic infection can cause coughing, chest pain and difficulty breathing. The CDC recommends that anyone who notices these symptoms after potentially coming into contact with an infected animal seek medical attention immediately.
