Tularemia
Jump to
About tularemia
Prevention
Symptoms
and treatment
Tularemia in San Diego
County
More information
About tularemia
Tularemia, also known as Rabbit Fever, is caused by the bacteria Francisella tularensis, found in wild rodents and rabbits. It is spread through tick bites, direct contact with infected living or dead animals, or by drinking water that is contaminated with the bacteria.
In California, the American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and the Pacific Coast Tick (Dermacentor occidentalis) can transmit tularemia. Tularemia is rare in San Diego.
Prevention
These tips will help protect you from spotted fevers:
-
Stay on paths and trails
- Ticks are found in grassy, brushy areas and on the plants that line trails
- Keep pets on leash and on trail while hiking
-
Dress for protection when outdoors
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants
- Wear light-colored clothing that shows ticks crawling on you
-
Use Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellent
- Look for repellent containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), or para-menthane-diol (PMD).
- Apply repellent to clothing and exposed skin; follow the directions carefully
-
Check yourself for ticks
- After you are in a tick-infested area, examine yourself and your companions for ticks and remove them right away
- Tick nymphs may be very small, about the size of a poppy seed
Symptoms and treatment
When infection occurs, symptoms may appear 1 to 14 days after exposure. Beginning symptoms may include:
- Headache
- Sudden fever and chills
- Diarrhea
- Muscle and joint pains
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath
- Sweating
Other symptoms depend on how the patient was exposed to the bacterium:
- Skin or mouth lesions
- Swollen lymph glands
- Swollen, painful eyes
Although difficult to diagnose, tularemia can be treated with antibiotics, and most patients completely recover.
The Vector Control Program routinely collects, identifies, and tests ticks for tularemia and other tick-borne pathogens. If tests come back positive for tularemia, results are posted to our website.
No ticks have tested positive for tularemia over the past 5 years.
(858-694-2888
Popular Services
