Larimer County Health Department Says Take Precautions to Avoid Tularemia
The confirmed diagnosis of Tularemia in four wild rabbits in Fort Collins, as well as a confirmed human casein Broomfield, has prompted the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment to remind residents to take certain precautions against the bacterial infection.
Residents are advised that tularemia-causing bacteria is present in some local mammals — especially rabbits. Larimer County residents have noticed a die-off of rabbits in some areas over the past few weeks.
What is Tularemia?
Tularemia is a bacterial infection most commonly transmitted to humans that have handled infected animals. Infection can also arise from the bite of infected insects (most commonly ticks and deer flies), by exposure to contaminated food, water, or soil by eating, drinking, or direct contact with breaks in the skin.
Typical signs of infection in humans are fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, chest pain, and coughing.
What to do If you see a dead animal:
- If you suspect an animal might be sick, infectious, or has died of unknown causes, DO NOT TOUCH IT!
- If you find or observe more than one animal (in the same area) that has died or is sick, call the Health Department at 970-498-6775. On weekends or holidays, Call Animal Control for assistance. 970-226-3647
- NOTE!!! NOT ALL ANIMALS will be picked up and/or tested. Once it is established that tularemia is present in an area, testing more animals is not helpful. If you live in an area where Tularemia has been confirmed, follow prevention precautions with your family and your pets.
Steps people can take to prevent human tularemia:
- Stay out of areas where wild rabbits or rodents are present when possible. Never try to feed wildlife.
- Avoid handling any sick or dead animals (including mammals and birds)
- Wear an insect repellent effective against ticks, biting flies and mosquitoes if you are in areas where sick animals have been found. Repellents that contain DEET are a good choice for humans.
- Wear shoes and do not go barefoot in an area where rabbits have died. The bacteria can persist in the environment for a month or two, so these precautions should be taken for several weeks.
- Consider wearing a dust mask when mowing or blowing vegetation in areas where rabbit die-offs have occurred.
- Take steps to prevent your pets from becoming infected. They can infect you.
If you need to remove a dead animal
- Apply an insect repellent against fleas and ticks prior to proceeding with the removal.
- Use a shovel and place the body in a plastic bag.
- If you have noted other dead animals in the area, call the Health Dept.(970-498-6775) or Animal Control ( 970-226-3647) to see if they want to retrieve the animal for testing. NOTE! Not all animals will be retrieved or tested!
- If the animal is not needed for testing, dispose of it in an outdoor trash receptacle.
- Wash your hands immediately.