Health officials on Long Island are warning residents about a rare but potentially serious tick-borne illness. Three probable cases of tularemia — also known as ‘rabbit fever’ — have been confirmed by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS).

What is Tularemia?

Tularemia is a disease caused by the bacteria Francisella tularensis. It commonly infects rabbits, hares, and rodents, but can also be transmitted to humans through bites from deer flies or ticks, contact with infected animals, or exposure to contaminated water or aerosols.

One case involved a 9-year-old patient who was bitten by a tick while playing outside. After the tick was removed, he later developed high fever, severe head and neck pain, swollen lymph nodes/glands, body aches, and extreme fatigue. Doctors believe infected ticks likely fed on rabbits before biting the boy, transmitting the bacteria.

Symptoms and Treatment

Symptoms of tularemia can vary depending on the type of disease. General symptoms include chills, headache, malaise, fatigue, anorexia, myalgia, chest discomfort, cough, severe sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Tularemia can be treated with antibiotics, but no vaccine is currently available.

The death rate from the disease is typically low, less than 2%, but can be as high as 24% in rare, severe cases. Those most at risk include children between 5 and 9 years old, older men, American Indian and Alaskan Native people, and those living in central U.S. states.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.