Tularemia Alert

From the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District's facebook page:

TULAREMIA ALERT!
1. If you find a dead animal in your yard or at a park, DO NOT TOUCH IT, call CUPHD and we will pick it up.
2. Wear tick protection when outdoors;
3 Do not mow over dead animals;
4 Do not handle wild animals;
5 Cook wild game meat thoroughly before eating and use gloves when handling the animal and preparing the meat
for cooking;
6.Take any pet with symptoms of tularemia to the veterinarian

August 1, 2018 Update
Public Health Alert in Champaign-Urbana-Savoy Area
A cat in Champaign and a rabbit in Urbana were recently diagnosed by the University Of Illinois College Of Veterinary Medicine with Tularemia. Additionally, there were reports of other rabbits found dead in the Urbana neighborhood. This indicates presence of this disease in the area.

F. tularensis bacteria can be transmitted to humans via the skin when handling infected animal tissue. Many animals have also been known to become ill with tularemia including rabbits, muskrats, prairie dogs and other rodents. Domestic cats are very susceptible to tularemia and have been known to transmit the bacteria to humans.

Cats may develop a variety of symptoms including high fever, mouth ulcers, depression, enlarged lymph nodes and anorexia. Infection can also occur when hunting or skinning infected rabbits, and by inhaling dust or aerosols contaminated with F. tularemia bacteria. This can occur during farming or landscaping activities, especially when machinery (e.g. tractors or mowers) runs over infected animals or carcasses.

The clinical manifestations of human infection with F. tularensis range from asymptomatic illness to lifethreatening.

Typically patients with tularemia present with abrupt onset of fever, chills, headache and malaise
following an incubation period of two to 10 days. Additional signs and symptoms may be observed depending on the site of entry.

For more information on Tularemia visit https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/

Suspect or confirmed cases of tularemia should be promptly reported to the local health department.
To reduce the chance that a person would become infected, they should:

Wear tick protection when outdoors;
Do not mow over dead animals;
Do not handle wild animals;
Cook wild game meat thoroughly before eating and use gloves when handling the animal and preparing the meat for cooking;
Take any pet with symptoms of tularemia to the veterinarian;

If you have any further questions or concerns please contact Awais Vaid, Director of Planning and Research, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District at 217-531-5360 or email avaid@c-uphd.org.