Tularemia is a rare infectious disease that can affect the skin, eyes and lungs, according to Pannochka, an online publication for girls and women aged 14 to 35.. net Tularemia is sometimes called rabbit fever..

Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis..

Many mammals are susceptible to the disease, especially rodents, rabbits and hares.. But tularemia can affect birds, reptiles, and even fish..

Tularemia is transmitted to humans through several routes, including insect bites and direct contact with an infected animal..

Highly contagious and potentially fatal, tularemia must be detected and treated promptly..

Causes of tularemia.

Tularemia is a disease of animals, it is transmitted from animals to humans, and it does not usually transmit between people.. Tularemia is found all over the world, especially in forests and reserves, because a large number of animals and birds live there.. Bacterium F. tularensis is able to live in soil, water and animal carcasses for weeks.

Unlike some other zoonotic infections, tularemia has multiple routes of transmission from animals to humans.. The route of transmission usually determines the type and severity of the disease..

The routes of transmission of tularemia are as follows:.

Insect bites (mites, some types of flies). Tick \u200b\u200bbites cause ulcerative bubonic tularemia.

Contact with sick and dead animals. The ulcerative-bubonic form of tularemia often occurs in contact with rabbits and hares.. Infection through dirty hands can also cause an ocular form of tularemia..

inhalation of bacteria. Bacteria lying in the soil can be released into the air during construction work and other activities related to the earth. This type of infection leads to pulmonary, the most severe form of tularemia..

Through contaminated food and water. This route of infection is less common, but it is quite possible to contract tularemia by eating infected meat or dirty water from reservoirs.. The disease is manifested by vomiting, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal problems (oropharyngeal tularemia). High temperature kills the causative agent of tularemia, so the meat must be cooked at a temperature of at least 71-75C.

Risk factors.

As with other zoonotic infections, residents of disadvantaged regions and representatives of a number of professions are at high risk of infection. In the United States, for example, residents of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri, where ticks are most common, are most affected..

Activities associated with an increased risk of tularemia:.

Hunting and catching animals. Hunters most often come into contact with animals, eat their meat, and may be bitten by insects in forests.

Animal husbandry, veterinary medicine. People who work with domestic animals (especially rabbits) are susceptible to tularemia, as are hunters..

Gardening and working with the earth. Farmers, gardeners constantly work with the earth, which increases the risk of pulmonary tularemia - the most deadly and rare form..

Symptoms of tularemia.

Symptoms of the disease in most cases develop 2-10 days after infection, but sometimes the incubation period varies from 5-6 hours to 3 weeks. There are several forms of tularemia (according to American authors), each of which manifests itself with its own symptoms..

Ulcerative bubonic form.

This form of the disease is the most common.

Signs of ulcerative bubonic tularemia include:.

Ulcers on the skin at the site of infection.

Swelling and soreness of the lymph nodes.

Increase in body temperature.

Chills, muscle aches.

Headache.

Weakness.

Glandular (bubonic) form.

Patients with this form of tularemia have the same symptoms as those with ulcerative bubonic form, but without the formation of skin ulcers..

Oculo-glandular (eye) form.

This form of the disease can cause the following symptoms:.

Pain in the eyes.

Eye redness.

Discharge from the eyes.

Ulcers on the inside of the eyelid.

Oropharyngeal form This form of tularemia is usually caused by ingestion of contaminated water and food..

Symptoms of the disease include:.

Temperature rise.

Inflammation of the throat (pharyngitis).

Nausea and vomiting.

Diarrhea (diarrhea).

Pulmonary form.

Most often occurs in elderly, debilitated patients with typhoid tularemia.

This form of tularemia is manifested by signs of severe pneumonia:.

Cough.

Chest pain.

Breathing problems.

Increase in body temperature.

It should be noted that other forms of tularemia can spread to the lungs..

Typhoid tularemia.

This rare and severe form of tularemia is manifested by the following symptoms:.

Very high body temperature.

Extreme weakness, exhaustion.

Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Enlargement of the liver and spleen.

Pneumonia.

Diagnosis of tularemia.

If a person has been in contact with an animal that could have tularemia, or has been bitten by a tick, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will prescribe the necessary tests and, if they are positive, you will need to take a course of antibiotic therapy..

Because the disease is rare and the symptoms are nonspecific, it can be difficult to diagnose tularemia.. Blood or sputum tests in which F is cultured. Tularensis are the only reliable way to confirm tularemia.

Treatment of tularemia.

Tularemia responds well to antibiotics such as streptomycin and gentamicin given intramuscularly or intravenously. It is also possible to use tetracycline antibiotics.. If the patient has developed complications, such as meningitis or pneumonia, the doctor will prescribe additional treatment.

After an illness, a person develops immunity to tularemia, but some people can get sick again, so you should not hope for lifelong immunity.

Complications of tularemia.

Without treatment, tularemia can lead to death of the patient..

Possible complications of tularemia include:.

Pneumonia. Inflammation of the lungs in tularemia can lead to respiratory failure, a condition in which the lungs are unable to supply oxygen to the body..

Meningitis. This is a serious complication of tularemia, in which the infection penetrates the lining of the brain and spinal cord.. The disease is accompanied by neurological symptoms: headache, neck stiffness, photophobia, etc..

Pericarditis. This is an inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart muscle (pericardium). Pericarditis, if left untreated, also threatens the patient's life..

Osteomyelitis. Sometimes the tularemia pathogen invades the bones, causing a bone infection.. This is manifested by severe pain, impaired mobility of the joint, redness of the skin, and sometimes the appearance of ulcers over the affected area..

Prevention of tularemia.

If a person works in agriculture, veterinary medicine, or his activities are somehow associated with the risk of infection, then measures should be taken:.

Insect protection. Most patients become infected with tularemia through tick bites.. When working in dangerous areas, wear long, completely closed clothing, tuck pants into socks, wear a wide-brimmed hat. Be sure to use repellent, exactly following the manufacturer's recommendations..

Caution when working in the garden and in the garden. Farmers, hobby gardeners and professional gardeners must wear a face mask while tilling in disadvantaged areas.

Caution when working with animals. When hunting hares and other animals, gloves and goggles should be worn (or at least do not rub your eyes with your hands).

Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after contact with animals. Meat must be well-done (or otherwise thoroughly cooked) as bacteria are killed at high temperatures..

Pet Protection. Pets can become a source of infection if they come into contact with or prey on wild animals..

No need to release animals into nature, leaving them unattended. Animals should not be allowed to sniff corpses. It should also be protected from ticks and other blood-sucking insects..

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