What is ‘rabbit fever?’ Health officials report 3 probable cases
Health officials in Suffolk County, New York, have identified three probable cases of tularemia, a rare bacterial infection known as 'rabbit fever.' The disease is typically transmitted through tick or fly bites or contact with infected animals.
Why it matters
Public awareness of rare zoonotic diseases is essential for early detection and prevention of potential health outbreaks.
The Suffolk County Department of Health in New York said Monday that it’s seen three probable cases of tularemia, a rare but serious infection that’s also known as rabbit fever. It can occur after a bite from a tick or a fly that has previously bitten a sick mammal, typically a rabbit. Tularemia is caused by infection with F. tularensis bacteria. Bites from the Lone Star tick and the American dog tick are most closely associated with the disease. A person can also get rabbit fever if they have direct contact with a sick animal, through drinking water or inhaling dust contaminated with the bacteria, or through eating undercooked contaminated rabbit meat. The disease does not spread from person to person. Tularemia cases are more common from May through September, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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