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What is tularemia (rabbit fever)?
Can rabbits get tularemia?
What causes tularemia in animals?
Dec 13, 2018 · Tularemia is a disease that can infect animals and people. Rabbits, hares, and rodents are especially susceptible and often die in large numbers during outbreaks. People can become infected in several ways, including: Tick and deer fly bites. Skin contact with infected animals. Drinking contaminated water.
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F. tularensis bacteria can be transmitted to humans via the...
- Signs & Symptoms
Signs & Symptoms. An ulcer caused by Francisella tularensis....
- Diagnosis & Treatment
Tularemia can be difficult to diagnose. It is a rare...
- For Clinicians
NOTE: Gentamicin is preferred for treatment of severe...
- Laboratory Exposure
Francisella tularensis is highly infectious when grown in...
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Epidemiologist on Call Bacterial Diseases Branch, CDC 3156...
- Prevention
When hiking, camping or working outdoors: Use Environmental...
- Publications
Select Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports:. Notes from...
- FAQ About Tularemia
A. Tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever,” is a disease...
- CDC Tularemia
It is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis found...
- Transmission
- Overview
- Symptoms and Causes
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- Management and Treatment
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- Outlook / Prognosis
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- Additional Common Questions
Tularemia is a highly infectious disease you get from the bacterium F. tularensis. You can get it from bug bites, infected animals, contaminated water or food, and particles of bacteria in the air. Tularemia can affect your skin, eyes, throat, lungs and intestines. Tularemia should be treated as soon as possible with antibiotics.
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OverviewSymptoms and CausesDiagnosis and TestsManagement and TreatmentPreventionOutlook / PrognosisLiving WithAdditional Common Questions
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What are signs and symptoms of tularemia?
Symptoms of tularemia depend on what form you have. Most forms cause a fever, various types of rash and additional symptoms specific to where the infection is in your body.
How long after I’ve been exposed to tularemia will I get sick?
The incubation period for tularemia, or time between exposure and the start of symptoms, is three to five days. Some people can go without symptoms for up to two weeks.
What causes tularemia?
The bacterium F. tularensis causes tularemia. It lives in animals (when animals carry diseases like this, they’re known as “reservoirs”) — usually rabbits, hares, rodents and cats — and can ticks and other biting insects can also carry it. There are two types of F. tularensis, type A and type B. Type A causes more serious illness and is found in the U.S. Type B causes mild symptoms and is found in North America and most other parts of the world.
How is tularemia diagnosed?
To diagnose tularemia, a healthcare provider will examine you, ask you about your symptoms and test your blood or other body fluids. Depending on your symptoms, they might look at your lymph nodes, your throat, your eyes and any ulcers, bumps or rashes you have on your skin.
What tests will be done to diagnose tularemia?
Tests and imaging your provider might do to diagnose tularemia include: Blood tests. A sample of blood taken from your arm will be sent to a lab. The lab will look for signs of tularemia and might see if F. tularensis grows from it. At first, your blood test may look normal because F. tularensis can be slow-growing. You may have to repeat blood tests a few weeks later. Biopsy. If you have large lymph nodes or ulcers, your provider may take a sample of your tissue for biopsy. A lab will test the sample for F. tularensis or see if it grows from the sample. Nasal or throat swab. Your provider may use a long stick with a soft tip (swab) to get a sample of mucus from your nose or throat. A lab will test the sample for F. tularensis or see if it grows from the sample. Pleural fluid test (thoracentesis). If you have fluid around your lungs, a provider may take a sample of it during a thoracentesis. A lab will test the sample for F. tularensis or see if it grows from the sample.
How is tularemia treated?
Treatment of tularemia involves broad-spectrum antibiotics, either given to you by a healthcare provider with a needle (injection) or taken by mouth (pill). You may need other treatments if you have serious complications. It’s important to treat tularemia as soon as possible. Your provider may give you antibiotics before your test results are back to keep you from getting seriously ill.
Is tularemia curable in humans?
Yes, tularemia is curable in humans. Antibiotics can kill the bacteria that causes tularemia.
What medications are used to treat tularemia?
Antibiotics used to treat tularemia include: Streptomycin. Gentamicin. Doxycycline. Azithromycin. Ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin.
How can I reduce my risk of tularemia?
You can reduce your risk of tularemia by protecting yourself and your pets from bug bites, safely handling animals and cooking meat to safe temperatures. When possible, wear clothing that covers as much skin as you can while outdoors, especially in long grass or wooded areas. Wear bug spray with DEET. Check yourself and your pets for ticks after being outside. If possible, have someone else check in places you can’t easily see, like your scalp. Ask your veterinarian how to prevent ticks on your pets. Cats that go outdoors can get infected with tularemia. Supervise your pets when they go outside. Bites from other animals can spread tularemia. Wear gloves when handling animals (living or dead). Never pick up a wild animal with your bare hands. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling animals, even if you wore gloves. Cook meat to safe temperatures and always wash your hands, surfaces and utensils after preparing food. Game meat can carry bacteria that cause tularemia. Don’t drink untreated water. Avoid mowing or using other machinery around animal carcasses if possible. Don’t hit any animal with machinery if it’s possible to avoid it. Wearing a mask while using a mower or agricultural equipment may help prevent breathing in any aerosolized particles, but more research is necessary to confirm this. If you’ve had a possible exposure to tularemia, ask your healthcare provider whether you should take antibiotics to prevent getting sick.
What can I expect if I have tularemia?
Most people with tularemia make a full recovery. You can expect to be on antibiotics for 10 to 21 days. Depending on your symptoms, your healthcare provider may monitor you closely for the first couple of days of treatment. If your symptoms began a while before starting antibiotics, you could have serious complications. Some people’s symptoms come back after they feel better (relapse). If this happens to you, you may have to take another course of antibiotics.
How long does tularemia last?
Treatment for tularemia lasts for two to three weeks, but it could take longer than that to feel completely better. Sometimes rashes from tularemia leave permanent scars on your skin.
Outlook for tularemia
With prompt treatment, the outlook for tularemia is good. Less than 1% of cases of tularemia are fatal when treated quickly with antibiotics.
When should I see my healthcare provider?
See a healthcare provider if you: Have symptoms of tularemia. Think you had an exposure to tularemia. A healthcare provider might recommend taking antibiotics to prevent getting sick. If tularemia symptoms come back during treatment or after you complete treatment.
What questions should I ask my doctor?
How do I take my medication? How can I treat my symptoms at home? When should I follow up with you? When should I go to the ER?
Has tularemia been used as a biological weapon?
Since it’s highly infectious, there are concerns that F. tularensis, the bacterium that causes tularemia, could be used as a biological weapon. However, there are no records or confirmed reports of biological weapon-related tularemia outbreaks. A note from Cleveland Clinic Tularemia is a rare but serious illness. If you think you were exposed to or have symptoms of tularemia, see a healthcare provider right away. With quick treatment, you can make a full recovery. Medically Reviewed Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 08/25/2022. Learn more about our editorial process.
May 28, 2023 · Tularemia is a rare infectious disease that can attack your skin, lungs, eyes, and lymph nodes. Sometimes it’s called rabbit fever or deer fly fever. It’s caused by a bacteria called ...
Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Symptoms may include fever, skin ulcers, and enlarged lymph nodes. Occasionally, a form that results in pneumonia or a throat infection may occur.
- Blood tests, microbial culture
