What is tularemia or rabbit fever? Symptoms, spread and treatment explained as New York reports three possible cases

Tentagraph Newsroom·August 4, 2026

Rabbit fever or Tularemia is caused by the F. tularensis bacteria, and is passed through bites from a tick or a fly, but is most commonly associated with bites from the Lone Star tick or the American dog tick.Rabbit fever is usually transmitted through tick bites.(Unsplash)New Yorkers are in fear of two viruses spreading in the state as days after the possibility of a deadly virus (Bourbon virus) on Long Island, authorities confirmed on Monday three probable cases of rabbit fever, which is also known as Tularemia, this year.The cases were confirmed by the Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS), and come in the wake of an article published by the Stony Brook Medicine in July about a confirmed Bourbon virus case in Long Island.What is Rabbit fever?Rabbit fever or Tularemia is caused by the F. tularensis bacteria, and is passed through bites from a tick or a fly, but is most commonly associated with bites from the Lone Star tick or the American dog tick, as per a report by CNN.A person who is in direct contact with a sick animal either through drinking water or through breathing in contaminated dust, can also get rabbit fever. Consumption of undercooked rabbit meat is also associated with this disease. However, the disease does not spread from one person to another.As per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases of tularemia are more common in the months of May to September, and data from 2019 to 2023 reveals that there are lesser than 200 cases of the disease reported every year.Suffolk County has also seen rabbit fever cases in the low single digits over the years. In 2024, there were only four cases reported from the region, three were reported in 2023, and only one in 2022, as per data from the county's health department accessed by CNN.What are the symptoms and treatment of rabbit fever?Symptoms of rabbit fever or tularemia in humans include swollen lymph nodes, high fever, body aches, tiredness, and a large sore if the person has been affected through the bite of a tick or fly.Symptoms in an affected individual will appear within three to five days post exposure, while they can take around 21 days to develop. There is a chance of the sore leading to an infection that enters through the individual's bloodstream and turns into a sepsis, which can be a deadly condition.Antibiotics like streptomycin, gentamicin and amikacin can be used to treat the vaccine, the New York State Department of Health has revealed.There is a vaccine which was made available for workers in laboratories dealing with the bacteria, but it has not been released for the public and is under review by the US Food and Drug Administration.Stay updated with the latest Trending, India, World and US news. Follow CJP Protest LIVE updates as Sonam Wangchuk ends his 26-day hunger strike following government assurances, while the Jantar Mantar protest continues. Get the latest updates on talks between the CJP delegation and the Centre, the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, possible arrests, Delhi security measures and developments in Parliament.HomeNewsUs NewsWhat is tularemia or rabbit fever? Symptoms, spread and treatment explained as New York reports three possible casesMore