Do you know what Tularemia is and how to protect yourself and your pets? The Colorado Dept. of Public Health has issued this warning: HEALTH ALERT Colorado residents at risk for tularemia exposures due to ongoing tularemia outbreaks in rabbits August 13, 2014 KEY POINTS: • Human tularemia is a serious and potentially life-threatening bacterial febrile illness. Patients may present with varied clinical signs depending on their route of exposure to the bacterium. • Three cases of human tularemia have been identified in Colorado since mid-July 2014. • Rabbits are sensitive to tularemia infection. Rabbit die-offs have been reported from a number of counties, and rabbits from Adams, Arapahoe, Custer, Huerfano, Jefferson, Larimer, and Mesa Counties have tested positive for tularemia. In addition one pet cat with Tularemia has been reported from Montrose County. • People who handle sick or dead rabbits, who are bitten by vector deer flies or ticks, or who contact contaminated soil or water are at risk of tularemia exposure. • All suspected cases of human tularemia must be reported immediately to public health so that disease control measures can be implemented as soon as possible. A laboratory diagnosis is not required to report a suspect case. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Tularemia is a disease caused by the gram negative bacterium Francisella tularensis. All warm blooded animals are susceptible to tularemia, including livestock and pets such as dogs, cats and birds. These bacteria normally circulate in nature in lagomorphs (rabbits and hares), small rodents (voles and muskrats), and in beavers. Tularemia commonly causes death in these species. People can become infected from the bite of vectors ticks and deer flies; by direct contact with infected animals; by drinking contaminated water; by inhalation of the bacteria from environmental sources; or by contact with contaminated soil. Bites from infected pets, such as cats, also transmit the disease to people. Person-to-person transmission of tularemia does not occur. People can prevent tularemia infections by protecting themselves from tick and deer fly bites, by not handling sick or dead animals without personal protection such as gloves, and by avoiding potentially contaminated areas such as those with rabbit die-offs.
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 00:26:05 +0000
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