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Three probable cases of rare 'rabbit fever' reported in Suffolk County
ABC7 New York • • health
Key Points:
- Suffolk County health officials have reported three probable cases of tularemia, a rare infectious disease also known as rabbit fever, linked to tick bites this summer.
- Tularemia is transmitted through ticks, deerflies, or contact with infected animals, particularly wild rabbits, and causes symptoms such as fever, severe pain, and ulcers at the bite site.
- Diagnosis can take several weeks, but effective antibiotics are available, although recovery may take weeks or months, as seen in a 9-year-old Suffolk County boy who remains fatigued three months after infection.
- Experts note this tick season has been particularly severe in Suffolk County, possibly due to environmental factors like heavy winter snow, raising concerns about increased tularemia cases.
- Prevention measures include wearing protective clothing to avoid tick bites and avoiding contact with sick or dead wild rabbits, while the New York State Department of Health continues to monitor and provide guidance on the disease.
