COURT HOUSE — The Cape May County Department of Health was notified on July 12 that a 14-year-old county resident has contracted tularemia, also known as “rabbit fever.”
Tularemia is a rare, potentially serious illness caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, which occurs widely in nature and can affect animals, particularly rodents and rabbits.
Tularemia can be acquired in multiple ways, such as being bitten by an infected tick, handling infected animal carcasses; eating or drinking contaminated food or water; or inhaling the bacteria.
The signs and symptoms people develop depend on how they are exposed to tularemia. Possible symptoms include skin ulcers, swollen and painful lymph glands, inflamed eyes, sore throat, mouth sores, diarrhea or pneumonia.
If the bacteria are inhaled, symptoms can include abrupt onset of fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, joint pain, dry cough, and progressive weakness. Tularemia can be fatal if the person is not treated with appropriate antibiotics.
To minimize risk of infection, Kevin Thomas, health officer, advises residents, “to cook food thoroughly and to drink water from a safe source; use a DEET-containing insect repellent on the skin; and avoid handling animal carcasses. If contact with animal carcasses cannot be avoided, persons should wear gloves and wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after removing gloves.”
Fewer than 200 cases of tularemia are reported annually in the United States — mainly in western and south central states.
The last reported New Jersey tularemia case occurred in September 2004 in a 31-year-old Cape May County resident with extensive outdoor exposure history. NJDHSS is working closely with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) Division of Fish and Wildlife which has not identified unusual animal die-off activity in the state to date.
The American dog tick and the lone star tick, both found in Cape May County, are known to carry tularemia. To protect against all tick-borne disease, residents should follow these guidelines when outside with known ticks:
Wear light-colored, tightly woven clothing to make it easier to spot ticks; tuck shirts into pants and pants into socks; wear closed shoes/sneakers rather than open sandals.
Use a tick repellent as directed. Products should contain DEET (for clothing OR skin) or Permethrin (for clothing ONLY). Remind children to ask an adult to apply the tick repellent and DO NOT apply to hands or face. Use products with less than 10 percent DEET and always follow manufacturers’ directions carefully. Do not use repellents on children under 3 years of age.
While outside, stay in the center of trails; avoid low bushes and leafy brush; periodically check clothing and skin for ticks and remove.
Once inside, check clothing, skin, and hair for ticks (take special note of a child’s navel, underarm, groin area and behind the ears). If a tick is found, remove it carefully with tweezers.
Information on tularemia is available at http://www.state.nj.us/health/er/tularemia.shtml and information on tick-borne disease at www.cmchealth.net.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
