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Tularemia, rabbit fever, or deer fly fever
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- Tularemia is
primarily an infection in animals such as rabbits, beaver, sheep, voles, squirrels, and muskrats. It is caused by bacterial infection. The infection may not cause any symptoms or may affect many different parts of the body. Treatment with antibiotics is usually successful.
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- Symptoms usually begin with fever, headache, and nausea. Often there is a rash. Some people develop fatigue and have muscle aches.
- Lymph nodes become large and tender.
- If the bacteria get into the lungs, Pneumonia can develop. Once in the lungs, it can be spread from person to person by coughing or sneezing.
- If people eat infected meat, they can develop nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Some patients become dazed and confused.
- Often, the spleen becomes large and tender.
- If the disease spreads throughout the blood stream, it can cause Meningitis, Bone Infections, infection of the heart, and infection of the spleen.
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- The cause of the disease is a bacterial organism known as Francisella (or Pasturella) tularensis. It usually affects only animals. However, it can spread to humans by contact with an infected animal, eating contaminated meats, or through tick bites.
- Once it enters the body, the bacteria spread via the lymph system or the bloodstream to different parts of the body including the lymph nodes, spleen, brain, bones, and lungs.
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- Diagnosis can be made by Blood culture tests that detect the bacteria. However, growing the organism can be dangerous to laboratory workers.
- Therefore, the diagnosis is now made by blood tests that detect the body's response to the infection.
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- Once infection develops, antibiotics will be needed to treat and eliminate it.
- Streptomycin with tetracycline is the antibiotic treatment most often used.
- Most will respond well to treatment.
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- Prevention of the infection is the main key to controlling this disease.
- Avoid contact with infected animals.
- When outdoors, wear protective clothing and apply sprays to prevent tick bites.
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