Tularemia

Tularemia is a bacterial disease related with both animals and man. Although many wild and familial animals have been infected, the rabbit is most often involved in disease outbreaks. Tularemia in humans is comparatively rare in New York State. Hunters or other people who spend a huge deal of time out of doors are at a greater risk of exposure to tularemia than people with other occupational or recreational interests. Other groups at enlarged risk include veterinarians and those working with birds of prey. Many routes of human experience to tularemia are known to exist. The common routes include inoculation of the skin or mucous membranes with blood or tissue while treatment infected animals, bites from infected deer flies or ticks, or handling or eating not sufficiently cooked rabbit meat.

The symptoms of tularemia are diverse and depend upon where the organism enters the body. When it enters through the skin, tularemia can be documented by the presence of a skin lesion and swollen glands. Ingestion of the organism may produce a throat infection, intestinal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Inhalation of the organism may produce a fever alone or fever combined with a pneumonia-like illness. Pneumonia with tularemia may also occur subsequent to infection through the skin or by ingestion. Symptoms usually appear between two and 10 days, but usually after three days.

Certain antibiotics such as streptomycin are efficient in treating tularemia. Others such as gentamycin and tobramycin have also been reported to be efficient. Long-term immunity will follow revival from tularemia, but reinfection has been reported. Rubber gloves should be worn when skinning or treatment animals, especially rabbits. Wild rabbit and rodent meat should be cooked methodically before eating. Avoid bites of deer flies and ticks and avoid drinking crude water. Gloves should be worn and hands should be washed with soap and water following the treatment of carcasses.

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