Tularemia or rabbit fever occurs in more than 250 species of wild animals (lagomorphs such as the cottontail rabbit, hare, beaver and squirrel). It can also be spread to humans through tick bites or contact with contaminated water or soil.

Tularemia was diagnosed by immunofluorescent staining of smears print of liver, spleen, bone marrow, and/or lung, serology (agglutination in tube or ELISA with titles growing) and culture.

The fever of the rabbit human

Tularemia or rabbit fever is classified as a Category “A” bioterrorist agent due to its potential for airborne spread and social disruption if used intentionally. It can be spread through tick - (like other diseases)handling sick or dead animals, ingestion of meat or animal hunting undercooked, contaminated water or contact with soil or hay contaminated. 

Symptoms vary depending on the route of infection. Infection with the bacteria is a serious medical emergency and antibiotics should be started immediately.

The cases of tularemia human occur with greater frequency in the summer months. The majority of infections are due to the bites of ticks Dermacentor or Amblyomma that have been nourished by wild rabbits or rodents. A very small number of human infections are due to the direct contact with the corpse of a rabbit.

Symptoms of tularemia (rabbit fever) in humans include fever, chills, body aches, headache, weakness, and cough. Most patients develop ulcers at the site of an insect bite. Ulcers may range from small, superficial, pockmarked lesions to large open sores. Other signs include regional lymphadenopathy, generalized or acute leukemia-like septicemia or pneumonia, and ocular symptoms such as eye pain, discharge, and/or blindness.

The fever of the rabbit animals

Fewer than 200 cases of tularemia, or rabbit fever, occur in the United States each year, mostly in western and mid-South states. The disease, caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, is often fatal if not treated promptly. 

Tularemia can be spread through tick and fly bites, inhalation of aerosolized bacteria, or contact with infected animals. The bacteria is found in rodents and lagomorphs (mainly rabbits and hares), but can infect other mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Tularemia (rabbit fever) is a reportable disease in the United States, and physicians and veterinarians are required to notify their state health department of any suspected or confirmed cases.

The symptoms of the disease vary depending on the route of infection and include fever, chills, malaise, arthralgia, and gastrointestinal upset, such as vomiting or diarrhea. The way ulceroglandular disease, which develops in the skin and mucous membranes, it produces erythematous lesions or filled with pus that can erode through the skin. When the bacteria enters the lungs, it develops a pneumonia known as tularemia typhoid; this form is associated with chest pain and cough with blood.

The pneumonic form of tularemia (rabbit fever), which spreads through the bloodstream to the lungs and spleen, can be life-threatening. Victims may develop fulminant atypical pneumonia with pleuritis, bronchiolitis, and/or atypical pulmonary edema.

Rabbits, hares, and rodents often die from tularemia or rabbit fever when left untreated. Some affected animals become anorexic and lose weight. The bacteria also causes systemic disease in these animals (as it does in many other cases of bacterial diseases in animals) with symptoms such as diarrhea, frequent urination, and weight loss. Affected animals are easy to capture and can be found lying down with a staggering gait.

The sheep are susceptible to tularemia, or fever in the rabbit when infected with F. tularensis. The disease usually occurs during periods of heavy infestations of ticks, or when grazing infected plants. Sheep affected show a high rate of mortality. 

Clinical signs in sheep include fever, stiff gait, diarrhoea and weight loss. Some sheep are emaciated, while others become anorexic and have a swollen abdomen. Affected sheep may be unable to stand and are prone to collapse. 

Diagnosis

Tularemia (rabbit fever) is endemic throughout much of the Nearctic and Palactic regions from latitudes 30 to 71 degrees N. It is a disease of rabbits, hares, rodents, wild birds and some domestic mammals (particularly sheep). The bacterium can also survive in the environment and is found in soil, plant matter and animal carcasses. 

Tularemia can be transmitted from person to person by direct contact with contaminated skin or by inhalation of bacteriologically infected dust. Infection can occur if hunters or trappers handle infected animals, especially the skin, eyes, and mouth, while cleaning animal carcasses. It can also spread if people touch the skin and paws of infected animals or eat raw meat or other contaminated foods. Tularemia can also spread through insect bites.

Humans infected with tularemia develop fever, chills, headache, weakness and a general feeling of illness that usually begins three to five days after exposure. Can you have an ulcer of slow growth at the site of initial contact with the bacteria, or they may have swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpits. People who breathe in the bacteria can develop pneumonia.

The bacteria are very difficult to detect in the blood, but the smear immunofluorescent Liver, spleen, and bone marrow smears may be helpful in making a presumptive diagnosis. Small Gram-negative coccobacilli may be seen in these smears, and antibodies to F. tularensis may be identified by tube agglutination, ELISA, or other methods. The organism may also be grown in culture.

If you suspect you have been exposed to tularemia, or rabbit fever, see your doctor right away. The doctor will order a chest X-ray to check for pneumonia and prescribe antibiotics, which may be given intravenously or orally. Antibiotics should be taken exactly as directed. Most people who have been exposed to tularemia make a full recovery, but it is important to get treatment right away.

Treatment

Tularemia (rabbit fever) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. It can be transmitted through the bites of ticks and flies, skin contact with sick or dead wild animals, inhalation of contaminated dust particles (such as when mowing the lawn over the carcass of an infected animal), or ingestion of contaminated water or undercooked meat or game. It is a potential agent for bioterrorism, but has never been used in this way.

Symptoms of tularemia vary depending on how the germ enters your body and what part of your body is infected. If you are bitten by a tick that has tularemia, you may develop a slow-growing ulcer on your skin at the bite site. If you inhale the bacteria, you may get pneumonia with a dry cough and difficulty breathing. 

If you ingest the bacteria, you may have stomach pain and diarrhea. The bacteria can also enter your bloodstream and cause fever, chills, muscle pain or tenderness, swollen lymph nodes, headache, and weakness.

The disease is easily treated with antibiotics. Streptomycin is the drug of choice, although tetracyclines (especially doxycycline), gentamicin, and chloramphenicol are also effective. Antibiotics are given orally or intravenously. Most people with tularemia (rabbit fever) recover without long-term effects.

Tularemia is a serious illness (almost as serious as the west nile virus west nile virus) and should be taken seriously. If you think you have been exposed to the bacteria, you should see your doctor right away. You will be asked about your symptoms and where you were exposed to the bacteria. You will likely have lab tests to check for the bacteria in your blood, urine, or tissue swabs. 

Your doctor will prescribe the right medication for you. Treatment is usually started within 3 days of exposure to the bacteria, and it is very important to start treatment early. If you do not start treatment, the bacteria can spread to other parts of your body and cause serious illness and even death.