Tularemia | Vermont Department of Health
Source: http://healthvermont.gov/disease-control/zoonotic-diseases/tularemia
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:25
Tularemia | Vermont Department of Health
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Translations for you
Tularemia
Zoonotic Diseases
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in Humans
Hanta Virus
Rabies
Tularemia
Key Facts about Tularemia
Tularemia is a rare and potentially serious disease caused by the bacterium
Francisella tularensis
.
People can become infected in several different ways, including tick and deer fly bites, and contact with infected animals (especially rodents, rabbits, and hares).
Important Links
Tularemia (CDC)
How it Spreads
Humans can be infected with tularemia by handling infected rodent or rabbit carcasses, through the bite of an infected tick or biting fly, eating contaminated food, drinking contaminated water or by breathing in the bacteria.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of tularemia vary depending on how the bacteria enter the body. Illness ranges from mild to life-threatening. Most people with tularemia develop a sudden fever. Other symptoms can include chills, headaches, ulcers, enlarged lymph nodes, diarrhea, muscle aches, joint pain, dry cough and progressive weakness. Symptoms typically begin three to five days after exposure to the bacteria.
Treatment
While tularemia is fatal in some cases, the disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics. People who contract tularemia and receive treatment typically recover completely.
Tularemia in Vermont
Tularemia is a rare disease in Vermont. The last major outbreak in the state occurred in 1968 when 47 people in Addison County were diagnosed within a four-week period. Everyone who fell ill in that outbreak had a history of handling or trapping muskrats. Since 2011, there have been six reported cases of tularemia in Vermont; three were in Vermonters who became infected while traveling to Massachusetts.
Topics:
Outdoor Safety
|
Tickborne Diseases
Last Updated:
April 9, 2026
Skip to main content
MENU
x
CLOSE
Translations for you
Tularemia
Zoonotic Diseases
Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in Humans
Hanta Virus
Rabies
Tularemia
Key Facts about Tularemia
Tularemia is a rare and potentially serious disease caused by the bacterium
Francisella tularensis
.
People can become infected in several different ways, including tick and deer fly bites, and contact with infected animals (especially rodents, rabbits, and hares).
Important Links
Tularemia (CDC)
How it Spreads
Humans can be infected with tularemia by handling infected rodent or rabbit carcasses, through the bite of an infected tick or biting fly, eating contaminated food, drinking contaminated water or by breathing in the bacteria.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of tularemia vary depending on how the bacteria enter the body. Illness ranges from mild to life-threatening. Most people with tularemia develop a sudden fever. Other symptoms can include chills, headaches, ulcers, enlarged lymph nodes, diarrhea, muscle aches, joint pain, dry cough and progressive weakness. Symptoms typically begin three to five days after exposure to the bacteria.
Treatment
While tularemia is fatal in some cases, the disease can be successfully treated with antibiotics. People who contract tularemia and receive treatment typically recover completely.
Tularemia in Vermont
Tularemia is a rare disease in Vermont. The last major outbreak in the state occurred in 1968 when 47 people in Addison County were diagnosed within a four-week period. Everyone who fell ill in that outbreak had a history of handling or trapping muskrats. Since 2011, there have been six reported cases of tularemia in Vermont; three were in Vermonters who became infected while traveling to Massachusetts.
Topics:
Outdoor Safety
|
Tickborne Diseases
Last Updated:
April 9, 2026