The Suffolk County Department of Health (SCDHS) confirmed three probable cases of Tularemia this week.
Also known as rabbit fever, the diagnosis is based on a combination of laboratory testing and fulfilment of specific clinical or epidemiologic criteria, according to SCDHS spokesperson Ryan Defelippis, who added that determining a Tularemia diagnosis may take several weeks.
“This is what has been confirmed so far,” Defelippis told NTD on Aug. 3.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines Tularemia as a potentially serious illness caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis.
Also known as deer fly fever, confirmation of Tularemia may take several weeks due to the specific biological tests used to verify the infection safely and how the human immune system responds to the illness.
The CDC reports that people can become infected through drinking contaminated water, tick and deer fly bites, as well as through contact with infected animals, such as rodents, rabbits, and hares.
The CDC advises preventing the infection with insect repellent, wearing gloves when handling sick or dead animals, and avoiding mowing over dead animals.
Symptoms can include skin ulcers, swelling of regional lymph glands, usually in the armpit or groin, irritation and inflammation of the eye, sore throat, mouth ulcers, tonsillitis, and swelling of lymph glands in the neck as well as coughing, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
The bacteria was identified in a dead rabbit found in a southwest Berthoud neighborhood.
Residents and visitors are encouraged to be cautious this summer while spending time outdoors, particularly where rabbits and rodents are present and in tick-prone areas throughout the county.
The CDC added that if a person experiences symptoms like unexplained fever, swollen lymph glands, or skin sores after a tick bite or contact with wild animals, doctors will typically initiate antibiotic treatment based on clinical suspicion without waiting for the multi-week lab confirmation process to be completed.