Earlier this month, authorities in New York shared that cases of a deadly Bourbon rise were steadily rising. Now, it looks like the East coast state may have a similar situation in its hands. As there have been reports of cases related to tularemia. Tularemia or rabbit fever is a seasonal disease that can spread through tick and deer fly bites, any contact with infected animals, drinking contaminated water, and inhaling contaminated aerosols or agricultural and landscaping dust.
New York Rabbit Fever Outbreak: 3 Tularemia Cases Detected in Long Island in Suspected Outbreak of Rare Bacterial Infection
According to local authorities, at least 3 probable cases of Tularemia, more commonly known as rabbit fever have been reported from Suffolk County in New York’s long island.
One of them involves a 9 year old boy, who contracted it after a tick bite, while another case is of a Riverhead woman who got the bacteria from her pet cat’s bite. Details of the third case have not been publicly shared yet. Rabbit fever is a relatively rare diseases, averaging fewer than 200 cases annually nationwide. It is seasonal in nature and cases generally peak between May and September.
What is Rabbit Fever?
Tularemia or Rabbit Fever is a bacterial disease that is caused by Francisella tularensis. According to the federal health agency Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people can contract tularemia or rabbit fever through tick bites, contact with infected animals, contaminated water or inhalation of contaminated dust or aerosols.
This means that it does not spread via human to human transmission. It is divided into 6 clinical types – ulceroglandular, glandular, oculoglandular, oropharyngeal, pneumonic and typhoidal.
New York Rabbit Fever Outbreak: Rabbit Fever Symptoms & Treatment
Some common symptoms of rabbit fever (tularemia) include:
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High fever, sometimes reaching 104 degrees
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Severe headaches
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Severe muscle and joint pain
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Swollen lymph nodes
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Skin or mouth ulcers
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Eye irritation or inflammation
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Cough or chest pain
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Difficulty breathing
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Extreme fatigue
While the severity of the symptoms is variable and depends on how the person initially contracted the bacteria. The diseases can be easily treated with the appropriate medication. In mild cases, doctors prescribe a 2 to 3 week dosage of Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) or Doxycycline: . While more powerful antibiotics like Streptomycin or Gentamicin are given, in case symptoms are more severe.
However, the treatment also depends on factors like the patient’s age, severity of the symptoms and type of tularemia. In mild cases, recovery takes between 14 to 21 days, while with hospitalisation, the recovery timeline is variable.
New York Rabbit Fever Outbreak: Precautions to Avoid Getting Rabbit Fever
The CDC has recommended the following precautions regarding rabbit fever:
- Avoid any contact with sick or dead animals.
- Don’t drink any untreated surface water.
- Dress conservatively when outdoors with long sleeved tops, full length pants and socks.
- Always wear a mask while mowing or landscaping.
- If possible, try to keep your pets indoors.
