Rare 'rabbit fever' resurfaces with tick-borne cases near major US city

Key Points:

• Health officials on Long Island have confirmed three probable cases of tularemia, a rare tick-borne illness caused by the bacteria Francisella tularensis, which can be transmitted to humans through tick bites or contact with infected animals.
• Tularemia symptoms vary but commonly include fever, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, and body aches; while the disease is rare, cases have increased in recent years, partly due to improved detection methods like PCR testing.
• The disease can be serious if untreated but is typically treatable with antibiotics; no vaccine currently exists, and the death rate is generally low but can be higher in severe cases.
• Those most at risk include children aged 5-9, older men, American Indian and Alaskan Native people, and individuals in central U.S. states, especially those with frequent exposure to rabbits or ticks.
• Health experts advise people who hunt or regularly interact with rabbits to seek medical attention if symptoms develop and emphasize that the general population is at low risk unless exposed to infected animals or arthropods.