Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is a highly contagious and serious, but uncommon, disease caused by bacteria present in wild animals such as rodents, hares and rabbits that can infect humans causing serious complications that can lead to death.
The bacterium that causes tularemia is Francisella tularensis and whenever this disease is diagnosed it is necessary to notify the authorities, such as the Ministry of Health, so that steps are taken to discover the source of the contamination, since this bacterium can be used as a weapon biological.
This disease is more common in the northern regions of the United States, Europe and Asia and there are no cases reported in Brazil.
Symptoms
The first symptoms of tularemia in humans suddenly appear are high fever and a hard-to-heal skin wound that indicates where the bacteria enters the body. In addition,
- Swelling of lymph nodes, inflamed anus;
- Weight loss,
- Chills,
- Tiredness,
- Body pain
- Headache,
- Malaise,
- Dry cough,
- Sore throat
- Chest pain.
Other symptoms that may also be present include:
- If you drink contaminated water, you may experience severe sore throat, which is a pharyngitis, stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting;
- If the person is contaminated through the air by the entrance of the bacterium by the airways, pneumonia or septicemia can exist;
- If the site of entry of the bacterium is the eyes may have a conjunctivitis that leaves the eyes red, watery and pus.
- However, whenever the person is contaminated there is the possibility of suffering from pneumonia.
Usually the symptoms begin to manifest after 3 and 5 days after the contamination but the disease does not pass from one person to another.
The doctor may diagnose tularemia by biopsy of wound secretions or inflamed lymph nodes, and antibodies that fight the disease-causing bacteria can be found in the blood 10 days after the onset of symptoms.
How transmission occurs to humans
The human being can be contaminated through contact with ticks, fleas, lice, mosquitoes and flies, and also through contaminated water, or blood or tissues when handling the viscera of infected animals. Other forms of contamination include eating meat, being bitten or scratched by the contaminated animal, and also inhaling dust from contaminated land, grains or iron.
Contaminated wild rabbit meat, even if kept at low temperatures, such as -15ºC still remain contaminated after 3 years, and therefore in case of epidemic, it is not recommended to eat rabbits or hares.
Treatment for tularemia
Treatment should be started as soon as possible to avoid the serious complications that the disease can bring.
Tularemia can be treated with the use of antibiotics such as streptomycin, gentamicin, tetracyclines or claranfenicol, the first two being more indicated. The medicine of choice can be used twice a day for 10 or 14 days according to the medical indication and it is necessary to repeat the tests to make sure that the disease is cured, because if the antibiotic is not taken for there is a relapse, and it is necessary to resume treatment.
In pregnant women, infants and children, the doctor may decide to maintain hospital stay to ensure good hydration and during pregnancy, the risk / benefit of using the antibiotics gentamicin and ciprofloxacin, which are contraindicated during gestation, should be taken into account. who are best suited to save a woman's life.
Complications
Complications of tularemia are related to type A, which is stronger and has a higher risk of death. After the onset of the first symptoms, the person may present a sudden worsening, where there is a change in mental state, blood clotting in the veins or arteries, respiratory syndrome and possible coma. Thus, complications of tularemia include meningitis, endocarditis, and hepatic and renal failure.
Tularemia type B is milder and usually has no complications.
How to protect yourself from tularemia
To protect yourself, it is important to take the following measures, especially if there is an epidemic:
- Only use freshly filtered or boiled water for drinking, cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, and even brushing your teeth;
- Do not touch dead animals or they may have been infected with the bacteria;
- Avoid eating foods that may have been contaminated and also the meat of rabbits and hares
- Wear long pants and long-sleeved sweaters to protect the skin from bites from insects and ticks that may have been contaminated
There is still no vaccine that can be applied to the population to prevent tularemia, but the researchers have already been able to develop a live attenuated vaccine with a mildly aggressive virus type, but its efficacy and safety are not yet clear and therefore can not. be used as a form of protection.
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