Tackling Tularemia with Teamwork

Filled with enthusiasts of animals and the outdoors, Minnesota has seen an increase in reported animal and human tularemia cases. The Minnesota Department of Health, Board of Animal Health, Department of Natural Resources, and the Public Health Laboratory (PHL) are collaborating to track cases, test specimens, create and communicate guidelines to veterinarians and clinicians, as well as recommend prevention tips to the public. 

Tularemia is a zoonotic illness that occurs naturally in Minnesota and most often affects small animals like rodents and rabbits, as well as pets who hunt them. Pets who hunt rodents can also be exposed through tick and fly bites. It can be spread to humans from bites and scratches from infected pet cats, tick and fly bites, or touching animals that have the disease. People can also be exposed by breathing in the bacteria after accidently mowing over a dead animal.

Tularemia testing takes place at the Public Health Laboratory with a blood culture or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for clinical specimens. Though tularemia is not spread from person to person, the specimens are highly contagious through airborne particles. The Public Health Laboratory has a state-of-the-art laboratory and is designed for handling serious diseases for humans, animals, or plants, with special air flow, as well as biosafety cabinets, respirators, specialized personal protective equipment, and specially trained laboratory scientists. The Public Health Laboratory provides a safe place for testing ensuring the highest level of precaution for those working with the pathogen. 

All forms of tularemia in humans are accompanied by a sudden onset of fever. Other signs and symptoms can include skin wounds or ulcers, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, chills, and joint and muscle pain. Symptoms in people generally appear 3 to 5 days after exposure but may occur as soon as the next day or up to 14 days after exposure.  

To keep people and pets safe from tularemia: 

• Keep cats indoors and do not allow pets to hunt small animals.
• Use tick-preventative medication for your pets to help prevent tick bites.
• Use insect repellent to stop ticks and flies from biting.
• Avoid contact with wild animals that appear sick or are found dead.
• Check your yard for rabbit nests or dead animals before mowing. 

If pets have symptoms that look like tularemia and spend significant time outside or have had known rabbit or rodent contact, owners are encouraged to have their pets evaluated by a veterinarian. Anyone bitten or scratched by an ill animal should call the Minnesota Department of Health at 651-201-5414 as well as their health care professional about recommended next steps.

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