Cases of tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever,” are on the rise in the United States, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
caused by bacteria Francisella tularensisthe disease usually infects rabbits, hares, and rodents.
However, it is a zoonotic disease and can be transmitted from animals to humans.
The bacterium is classified as a “Tier 1 Selective Pathogen,” meaning it poses “the greatest risk of deliberate misuse, with the potential to cause mass casualties and devastating effects on the economy, critical infrastructure, and public confidence.” This classification is given to pathogens and toxins that have a serious impact on humans. “A serious threat to public health and safety,” the CDC said.
Although tularemia is relatively rare, with only 2,462 people diagnosed between 2011 and 2022, the number of cases is increasing, as reported in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. This is an increase of 56% compared to the last 10 years (2001-2010).
“The increase in reporting of probable cases may be related to an increase in actual human infections, improved detection of tularemia, or both,” the report states.
Dr. Daniel RuderferHovnanian, director of pediatric infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital in New Jersey, attributes the increase in cases primarily to improved methods for detecting microorganisms.
“The traditional way to confirm a case has historically been through culture and increasing antibody testing,” he told Fox News Digital.
“However, new detection methods such as PCR testing may be contributing significantly to the increase in the number of reported cases.”
Humans can contract the disease through deer fly or tick bites, contact with infected animals, or exposure to contaminated water or aerosols, the source said.
Symptoms of tularemia vary depending on the type of disease.
Common symptoms include chills, headache, malaise, fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle pain, chest discomfort, cough, severe sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, Ruderfer said.
“Depending on the location of the infected bite or scratch, localized lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes) and skin ulcers may develop at the site of infection,” he said.
“Other symptoms may include conjunctivitis, pneumonia, and even bloodstream infections.”
The mortality rate from this disease is usually low, less than 2%, but in rare and severe cases, the mortality rate can reach 24%, the CDC notes.
Tularemia can be treated with antibiotics, but there is currently no vaccine available.
“This infection is absolutely dangerous and can be life-threatening if not treated with appropriate antibiotics,” Ruderfer said.
Those most at risk are children ages 5 to 9, older men, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and people living in central U.S. states, the report said.
The general population is not at “obvious” risk of infection unless they come into physical contact with infected rabbits, ticks or deer flies, experts said.
He advised anyone who hunts or interacts with rabbits on a daily basis to seek medical attention if they develop any worrying symptoms.
“Many factors contribute to this population, including the concentration of Native American reservations in the Central States and sociocultural or occupational activities that may increase contact with infected wild animals and arthropods. may contribute to an increased risk of tularemia in the United States,” the CDC wrote.
