Rabbit fever cases concern health department

It isn’t shaping up to be a good summer for Wyoming’s rabbits.

Following last week’s announcement from Wyoming Game & Fish that Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 appears prevalent this year, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is now warning about tularemia, otherwise known as “rabbit fever”.

This serious disease can spread to humans in a number of ways and can cause serious symptoms.

According to WDH data, eight confirmed and suspected cases of tularemia have been reported so far in 2024 – four times the normal amount for the whole year.

“Wyoming typically only sees two cases a year. Having eight reports this early in the summer is alarming so we wanted to let people know about the increase,” said Clay Van Houten, Infectious Disease Epidemiology Unit manager with WDH.

“This isn’t an illness with huge numbers, but it can be quite serious for the people who get sick.”

The cases thus far have occurred in Sheridan, Campbell and Fremont counties. WDH does not know for certain why so many have been reported, although weather conditions could be partly to blame.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the signs and symptoms of tularemia in humans vary according to how the disease is contracted and can very from mild to life-threatening. Tularemia is always accompanied by fever.

A tick or deer fly bite or handling an infected animal causes a skin ulcer at the place where bacteria entered the body, usually accompanied by swelling of lymph glands.

An insect bite can also cause lymph gland swelling without the ulcer.

If bacteria enters through the eye, such as when butchering an infected animal, it can cause eye irritation and inflammation and lymph gland swelling in front of the ear.

Drinking or eating contaminated items can cause sore throat, mouth ulcers, tonsillitis and swelling of lymph glands in the neck.

The most serious form of tularemia comes from breathing dusts or aerosols containing the organism or occurs when other forms are left untreated and the bacteria spreads to the lings. It can include cough, chest pain and difficulty breathing.

To avoid contracting tularemia, the CDC recommends using insect repellent, wearing gloves to handle sick or dead animals and avoiding mowing over dead animals. Wear long pants and sleeves when outdoors to keep ticks and deer flies away and don’t drink untreated surface water.

Tularemia can be treated with antibiotics. If left untreated, it can be serious.