Tularemia and how to prevent it

Do you enjoy hunting or trapping small game? If so, you must take a few precautions to avoid contracting tularemia. Here’s an overview of what you need to know.

What’s tularemia?
Tularemia is a rare infectious disease that affects wild animals such as hares, beavers, muskrats, and squirrels. Humans can contract this potentially fatal disease in a variety of ways, including:

• Coming into contact with the droppings of an infected animal
• Handling the carcass of an infected animal
• Consuming the undercooked meat of an infected animal
• Getting bitten by certain species of ticks, mosquitos, and flies
• Inhaling or ingesting airborne tularemia bacteria

Animals infected with tularemia usually exhibit unusual behavior and may have visible sores and swollen glands.

How to prevent infection
There are several ways you can protect yourself from tularemia. You should:

• Avoid coming into contact with wild animals that appear ill
• Wear gloves and goggles when handling or preparing game meat, and sanitize any surfaces and equipment with a diluted bleach solution
• Avoid eating organ meats that are swollen or have whitish spots
• Cook game meat thoroughly
• Wash your hands with soap and water after handling game

In addition, it’s a good idea to use insect repellent and wear long pants, long sleeves, and socks to prevent bug bites.

The symptoms of tularemia
The symptoms of tularemia vary depending on how the affected person was exposed to the bacteria. Possible indicators include fever, muscle and abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, skin ulcers, throat inflammation, and vomiting. If you experience any of these symptoms after being bitten by an insect or coming into contact with a wild animal, immediately consult a doctor to receive the appropriate antibiotic treatment.