Q. What is tularemia?
A. Tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever,” is a disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Tularemia is typically found in animals, especially rodents, rabbits, and hares. Tularemia is usually a rural disease and has been reported in all U.S. states except Hawaii.
Q. How do people become infected with tularemia?
A. Typically, people become infected through the bite of infected insects (most commonly, ticks and deerflies), by handling infected sick or dead animals, by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, or by inhaling airborne bacteria.
Q. Does tularemia occur naturally in the United States?
A. Yes. Tularemia is a widespread disease in animals. About 200 human cases of tularemia are reported each year in the United States. Most cases occur in the south-central and western states. Nearly all cases occur in rural areas, and are caused by the bites of ticks and biting flies or from handling infected rodents, rabbits, or hares. Cases also resulted from inhaling airborne bacteria and from laboratory accidents.
Q. What are the signs and symptoms of tularemia?
A. The signs and symptoms people develop depend on how they are exposed to 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. People with pneumonia can develop chest pain, difficulty breathing, bloody sputum, and respiratory failure. Tularemia can be fatal if the person is not treated with appropriate antibiotics.
Q. Why are we concerned about tularemia being used as a bioweapon?
A. Francisella tularensis is highly infectious. A small number of bacteria (10-50 organisms) can cause disease. If Francisella tularensis were used as a bioweapon, the bacteria would likely be made airborne so they could be inhaled. People who inhale the bacteria can experience severe respiratory illness, including life-threatening pneumonia and systemic infection, if they are not treated.
Q. Can someone become infected with the tularemia bacteria from another person?
A. People have not been known to transmit the infection to others, so infected persons do not need to be isolated.
Q. How quickly would someone become sick if he or she were exposed to tularemia bacteria?
A. The incubation period (the time from being exposed to becoming ill) for tularemia is typically 3 to 5 days, but can range from 1 to 14 days.
Q. What should someone do if he or she suspects exposure to tularemia bacteria?
A. If you suspect you were exposed to tularemia bacteria, see a doctor quickly. Treatment with antibiotics for a period of 10-14 days or more after exposure may be recommended. If you are given antibiotics, it is important to take them according to the instructions you receive. All of the medication you are given must be taken.
Local and state health departments should be notified immediately so an investigation and infection control activities can begin.
Q. How is tularemia diagnosed?
A. When a person has symptoms that appear related to tularemia, the healthcare worker collects specimens, such as blood or sputum, for testing in a diagnostic or reference laboratory. Laboratory test results for tularemia may be presumptive or confirmatory. Presumptive (preliminary) identification may take less than 2 hours, but confirmatory testing will take more time, often 24 to 48 hours or longer depending on the methods that need to be used.
Depending on the circ*mstances, a person may be given treatment based on symptoms before the laboratory results are returned.
Q. Can tularemia be effectively treated with antibiotics?
A. Yes. Early antibiotic treatment is recommended whenever it is likely a person was exposed to tularemia or has been diagnosed as being infected with tularemia. Several types of antibiotics have been effective in treating tularemia infections. The tetracycline class (such as doxycycline) or fluoroquinolone class (such as ciprofloxacin) of antibiotics are taken orally. Streptomycin or gentamicin are also effective against tularemia, and are given by injection into a muscle or vein. Health officials will test the bacteria in the early stages of the response to determine which antibiotics will be most effective.
Q. How long can Francisella tularensis exist in the environment?
A. Francisella tularensis can remain alive for weeks in water and soil.
Q. Is there a vaccine available for tularemia?
A. A vaccine for tularemia was used in the past to protect laboratory workers, but it is not currently available.
FAQs
Q. How do people become infected with tularemia? A. Typically, people become infected through the bite of infected insects (most commonly, ticks and deerflies), by handling infected sick or dead animals, by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, or by inhaling airborne bacteria.
What are some interesting facts about tularemia? ›
Does tularemia occur naturally in the United States? - Yes. Tularemia is a widespread disease in animals. About 200 human cases of tularemia are reported each year in the United States. Most cases occur in the south-central and western states.
What are the chances of getting tularemia? ›
Tularemia is rare. There are only about 200 cases reported each year in the United States. People get it most from tick bites or contact with a contaminated animal.
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 the tularemia bacteria should be treated as soon as possible. The disease can be fatal if it is not treated with the right antibiotics.
How long does a tick have to be on you to get tularemia? ›
Most ticks seldom attach quickly and rarely transmit tickborne disease until they have been attached for four or more hours. 5. If you let your pets outdoors, check them often for ticks. Infected ticks also can transmit some tickborne diseases to them.
Where is tularemia most likely to be found? ›
Most cases occur in the south-central and western states. Nearly all cases occur in rural areas, and are caused by the bites of ticks and biting flies or from handling infected rodents, rabbits, or hares. Cases also resulted from inhaling airborne bacteria and from laboratory accidents.
How long does tularemia last? ›
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.
Who is at greatest risk of contracting tularemia? ›
Who is at highest risk for getting tularemia? Veterinarians, hunters, trappers, landscapers, farmers, and people who spend time outdoors where ticks and biting flies are common are at higher risk for acquiring tularemia.
How treatable is tularemia? ›
Tularemia can be life-threatening, but most infections can be treated successfully with antibiotics. Steps to prevent tularemia include: Using insect repellent. Wearing gloves when handling sick or dead animals.
What is the mortality rate for tularemia? ›
How likely is someone to die from tularemia? Untreated, tularemia has a mortality rate of 5 percent to 15 percent. Appropriate antibiotics can lower this rate to about 1 percent.
Most cases of tularemia begin with rapid onset of nonspecific, flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, headaches, muscle pain (myalgia), joint pain (arthralgia), loss of appetite, and a general feeling of ill health (malaise). Additional symptoms may occur depending upon how a person is infected.
Can you cook out tularemia? ›
Can I eat the meat? Normal cooking temperatures kill bacteria in the meat. Therefore, it is safe to eat. However, human exposure typically occurs while gutting a hare.
What is the best way to prevent tularemia? ›
Avoid contact with wild rodents, rabbits and hares; do not feed or handle them. If an animal carcass must be moved, place it in a garbage bag using a long-handled shovel, and place the bag in an outdoor garbage can. Prevent insect bites; use insect repellent containing DEET on your skin, or treat clothing with insect.
How soon do you need antibiotics after a tick bite? ›
Most cases of Lyme disease can be prevented or cured with prompt antibiotic treatment. If a preventive antibiotic is needed, a single dose of doxycycline will suffice but only if given in the first 72 hours after the tick has attached. To treat active disease, antibiotics are usually given for 2 to 4 weeks.
How do you treat tularemia first line? ›
Only aminoglycosides, tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones are considered in the first-line treatment of tularemia.
How long does a tick need to be attached to transmit disease? ›
In general, infected ticks must be attached for more than 24 hours to transmit infection; prompt tick removal can prevent transmission. Infected ticks are found most commonly in forested areas in the northeastern, north-central, and mid-Atlantic states, and in smaller areas within Pacific Coast states.
Is tularemia killed by cooking? ›
Can I eat the meat? Normal cooking temperatures kill bacteria in the meat. Therefore, it is safe to eat. However, human exposure typically occurs while gutting a hare.
What is the nickname for tularemia? ›
Other names for tularemia include rabbit fever, deer-fly fever, Ohara disease, and Francis disease.
When was tularemia first discovered? ›
Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by the gram-negative coccobacillus Francisella tularensis. Known also as "rabbit fever" and "deer fly fever," tularemia was first described in the United States in 1911 and has been reported from all states except Hawaii.
What does tularemia do to the body? ›
The general effects for tularemia may include fever, chills, muscle pain or tenderness, and lack of energy. There are six main types of tularemia with different effects: Ulceroglandular form: Patients have a skin ulcer(s) and swollen tender glands. Glandular form: Patients have swollen glands without a skin ulcer.
