What disease does Francisella tularensis cause?
A. Tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever,” is a disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. Tularemia is typically found in animals, especially rodents, rabbits, and hares. Tularemia is usually a rural disease and has been reported in all U.S. states except Hawaii.
Can tularemia be aerosolized?
Ingestion of water or food contaminated by infected animals can cause the disease. Contamination of the conjunctiva also can result in tularemia involving the eye. Inhalation of aerosolized bacteria may occur and produce infection. The aerosolization may be from a laboratory accident or from weaponized F.
How do you get Francisella tularensis?
Small mammals such as voles, mice, squirrels, and rabbits are natural reservoirs for F. tularensis. These animals acquire tularemia through bites from ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes and also through contact with contaminated environments.
Is Francisella tularensis contagious?
Tularemia spreads to humans in several ways, including insect bites and direct exposure to an infected animal. Tularemia is highly contagious and potentially fatal, but can usually be treated effectively with specific antibiotics if diagnosed early.
Can you eat a rabbit with tularemia?
Can I eat the meat? Normal cooking temperatures kill bacteria in the meat. Therefore, it is safe to eat. However, human exposure typically occurs while gutting a hare.
How do you treat rabbit fever?
If untreated, tularemia causes prolonged fever and fatigue and is often fatal. With treatment, death is rare. Tularemia is treated with intramuscular streptomycin or intravenous gentamicin. Oral medications are less reliable and are not currently recommended for significant disease.
How can tularemia be transmitted?
tularensis bacteria can be transmitted to humans via the skin when handling infected animal tissue. In particular, this can occur when hunting or skinning infected rabbits, muskrats, prairie dogs and other rodents. Many other animals have also been known to become ill with tularemia.
Can you get tularemia from eating rabbit?
Tularemia can also be transmitted through consumption of meat that is not thoroughly cooked, so be sure to heat rabbit meat to a safe temperature that kills any potential disease (minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit).
What is Q fever caused by?
Q fever is a disease caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii. This bacteria naturally infects some animals, such as goats, sheep, and cattle.
Can humans get Pasteurella from rabbits?
Pasteurellosis is a bacterial infection caused by Pasteurella bacteria. Pasteurella multocida is the species which most commonly infects humans. Pasteurella multocida can also infect cattle, rabbits, cats and dogs.