Tularemia (patient information)
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Tularemia is a potentially serious illness that occurs naturally in the United States. It is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis found in animals (especially rodents, rabbits, and hares).
What are the symptoms of (condition)?
Symptoms of tularemia could include:
- sudden fever
- chills
- headaches
- diarrhea
- muscle aches
- joint pain
- dry cough
- progressive weakness
People can also catch pneumonia and develop chest pain, bloody sputum and can have trouble breathing and even sometimes stop breathing. Other symptoms of tularemia depend on how a person was exposed to the tularemia bacteria. These symptoms can include ulcers on the skin or mouth, swollen and painful lymph glands, swollen and painful eyes, and a sore throat.
Who is at highest risk?
Tularemia (also known as deerfly fever or rabbit fever) is an infectious disease. Tularemia was first described by scientists in 1911. Its ability to infect whole populations was seen during outbreaks of waterborne disease in Europe and the Soviet Union in the 1930s and 1940s. People can get tularemia many different ways:
- being bitten by an infected tick, deerfly or other insect
- handling infected animal carcasses
- eating or drinking contaminated food or water
- breathing in the bacteria, F. tularensis
Tularemia is not known to be spread from person to person. People who have tularemia do not need to be isolated. People who have been exposed to the tularemia bacteria should be treated as soon as possible. The disease can be fatal if it is not treated with the right antibiotics.
When to seek urgent medical care?
If you think you have symptoms of tularemia, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Diagnosis
Healthcare providers can diagnose tularemia by doing lab tests on your blood or sputum (saliva or mucus).
Treatment options
If you think you have symptoms of tularemia, contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible. Antibiotics, such as doxycycline or ciprofloxacin, can effectively treat tularemia. A tularemia vaccine strain is being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration, but its future availability is uncertain, mainly because of the length of time it takes for the vaccine to work (about 2 weeks). The U.S. Department of Defense also has developed an experimental tularemia vaccine. To date, health officials have limited the use of this vaccine to laboratory and other high-risk workers.
Diseases with similar symptoms
Where to find medical care for (condition)?
Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Tularemia is a potentially serious illness that occurs naturally in the United States.
Possible complications
People can also catch pneumonia and develop chest pain, bloody sputum and can have trouble breathing and even sometimes stop breathing.