Report finds 'rabbit fever,' which can be spread by lawn mowing, on the rise
Symptoms are typically flu-like, including fever, headaches, and lethargy.
A recent report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says that cases of tularemia, also known as 'rabbit fever', have increased in the US.
Between 2011–2022, 47 states reported 2,462 tularemia cases, a 56 per cent increase when compared to 2001–2010.
The bacterium Francisella tularensis causes the disease. Without treatment, it can be fatal.
It can be transmitted to humans in several ways, including through bites from infected ticks and deer flies, and via skin contact with infected rabbits, hares, and rodents.
Symptoms are typically flu-like, including fever, headaches, and lethargy.
According to the recent CDC report, children aged 5-9 and older men in the 65- to 84-year-old age range are the most commonly affected. Cases appear to be higher in the central U.S.
Officials aren't sure if the uptick in cases is due to factors that may be helping the disease spread more efficiently, or if it is simply the result of better case reporting.
A seasonal issue: Lawn mowing aerosolize bacteria
Activities mainly engaged with during the late spring and throughout summertime may contribute to the spread of tularemia. In particular, people mowing their lawns and running over the nests of infected animals can aerosolize the bacteria, leading to widespread infections.
This transmission type was first recorded in Massachusetts in the summer of 2000. The incident caused a six-month outbreak involving 15 cases and one death.
According to the BC Centre for Disease Control, tularemia occurs naturally in Canada, but so far, human cases are uncommon.
That said, a 2022 paper from McGill University finds that an increasing number of Canadians are getting sick from tick-borne pathogens and previously rare infections are beginning to pop up.
Header image: File photo/Canva Pro/Cheryl Santa Maria.
