What is tularemia disease?

What is tularemia disease?

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.

Is tularemia a plague?

During research on the plague in endemic areas, tularemia was discovered and initially identified as a kind of plague called “pseudo-plague.” In 1911, the etiologic agent, initially named Bacterium tularense , was isolated from squirrels in the city of Tulare, California (USA).

Where does tularemia occur?

Although tularemia can occur anywhere in the United States, more than half of the cases reported each year occur in rural areas of Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Tularemia may be found in all parts of Europe and Asia with greater frequency in Siberia and Scandinavian countries.

How was tularemia named?

The disease is named after Tulare County, California, where the disease was discovered in 1911. A number of other animals, such as rabbits, may also be infected.

What are the signs of tularemia?

The signs and symptoms in people can vary. Illness generally starts with symptoms such as a fever, chills, and swollen lymph nodes. Symptoms may also include skin or mouth ulcers, diarrhea, muscle aches, joint pain, cough, and weakness.

What are the symptoms of tularemia in humans?

Symptoms include cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. This form results from breathing dusts or aerosols containing the organism. It can also occur when other forms of tularemia (e.g. ulceroglandular) are left untreated and the bacteria spread through the bloodstream to the lungs.

Can you cook out tularemia?

Heat kills F. tularensis, so cook meat to the right temperature — a minimum of 160 F (71.1 C) for ground meat and game meat — to make it safe to eat. Poultry should be cooked to 165 F (73.8 C).

Can tularemia come back?

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. In ulceroglandular tularemia, a red nodule appears at the site of inoculation and eventually forms an open sore associated with swollen lymph nodes.

What does tularemia look like?

In ulceroglandular and glandular tularemia, common early signs are high fever, chills, swollen glands, headache and extreme fatigue. A skin ulcer develops at the infection site in the ulceroglandular form. Typhoidal tularemia is characterized by fever, exhaustion and weight loss. The lungs may become involved.

Can tularemia be cured?

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.

Can tularemia affect humans?

Tularemia spreads to humans in several ways, including insect bites and direct exposure to an infected animal. Tularemia is highly contagious and potentially fatal, but can usually be treated effectively with specific antibiotics if diagnosed early.

What happens if tularemia goes untreated?

Left untreated, tularemia can be fatal. Other possible complications include: Inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia). Pneumonia can lead to respiratory failure — a condition in which the lungs don’t take in enough oxygen, don’t release enough carbon dioxide or both.