ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Health and Board of Animal Health are tracking increased tularemia cases in animals across the state, especially cats.
Epidemiologist Maria Bye explains that tularemia, previously known as “rabbit fever,” can affect over 250 animal species, but cats are the animals that get sick with it the most often and get hit the hardest.
“It can Minnesota Department of Health & Board of Animal Health seeing an increase in animal tularemia cases cause a very high fever, they become extremely weak, they lose their appetite, they may develop new ulcers on their mouth or their skin, and a lot of them end up passing away because of this,” Bye said.
She says dogs can also be infected, as can humans, through either a tick or fly bite or interacting with an infected animal. With an average of seven animal cases reported annually, 21 cases were reported in 2023, and seven have already been reported in 2024.
Health officials say signs and symptoms of tularemia in humans include fever, skin wounds or ulcers, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, chills, joint and muscle pain, and nausea. Symptoms generally appear three to five days after exposure but may occur as soon as the next day or up to 14 days after exposure.
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