The Suffolk County Department of Health in New York said Monday that it’s seen three probable cases of tularemia, a rare but serious infection that’s also known as rabbit fever. It can occur after a bite from a tick or a fly that has previously bitten a sick mammal, typically a rabbit. Tularemia is caused by infection with F. tularensis bacteria. Bites from the Lone Star tick and the American dog tick are most closely associated with the disease. A person can also get rabbit fever if they have direct contact with a sick animal, through drinking water or inhaling dust contaminated with the bacteria, or through eating undercooked contaminated rabbit meat. The disease does not spread from person to person. Tularemia cases are more common from May through September, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fewer than 200 cases have been reported annually, according to CDC data from 2019 to 2023, although the number of cases has been rising. Suffolk County, on Long Island, has had only a handful of cases of rabbit fever over the years. Four cases were reported in 2024, three in 2023 and one in 2022, according to data from the county health department. Data for 2025 is not yet available. Tularemia symptoms and treatment In humans, the infection can cause a high fever, swollen lymph nodes, body aches, tiredness and a large sore if they caught it through a tick or fly bite. These symptoms generally appear three to five days after exposure, but they can take up to 21 days to develop. The sore can lead to an infection that may enter the bloodstream and become sepsis, a potentially deadly condition. The infection is treatable with antibiotics like streptomycin, gentamicin and amikacin, according to the New York State Department of Health. A vaccine had been available for lab workers who worked with the bacteria, but it is under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is not generally available in the United States. How to avoid ticks Experts predict that with a mild winter in New York, this could be a difficult season for ticks. The state health department says that avoiding tick bites is the best way to avoid tularemia. If hunting or skinning animals, use gloves, and cook game meat thoroughly before eating. When going outdoors, wear long pants, long sleeves and closed-toe shoes, in addition to light-coloured clothing with a tight weave that can help you spot and remove ticks right away. The health department also recommends not sitting directly on the ground, on fallen logs or on stone walls. Stay in the middle of cleared, well-travelled trails, and avoid dense woods and bushy areas. If you do have to spend time in areas with ticks, consider using a tick repellent, but be sure to wash it off when you go back in. After spending time outdoors, it’s also essential to do a full-body check at the end of the day. If you find a tick, use a pair of pointed tweezers to grasp it by the head or mouth where it enters the skin, and pull firmly and steadily upward. Put the tick in a small container with rubbing alcohol to kill it. Clean the bite wound with rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, and keep an eye out for any signs of a rash for the next 30 days. If you develop a rash or fever, contact a healthcare provider for help.
