With another Long Island winter in the rearview mirror, we can look forward to our days and nights staying above 40 degrees for the foreseeable future. While that’s great news for most of it, it’s also great news for ticks who remain active in temperature above freezing. It is important to keep that in mind and not wrongly assume that ticks are only a problem in very warm and hot weather.

We all know that ticks carry dangerous and debilitating diseases, most famously Lyme disease. There are several other diseases that different kinds of ticks can carry as well. One of these other diseases is tularemia.

What Is Tularemia?

Tularemia is also known as rabbit fever. That is because the disease is caused by bacteria found in rabbits, hares, and other rodents. Ticks spread this disease from biting an infected rodent and then biting a person. People are not able to transfer the disease between each other through contact, so isolating after infection is not required.

Tularemia is considered a rural disease as the vast majority of cases take place in those regions of the country. That said, tularemia cases have been found in every state across the country – with the exception of Hawaii. And with the rabbit population on Long Island, Suffolk County is certainly vulnerable to exposure to the disease.

Symptoms of tularemia include swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, inflamed eyes, skin ulcers, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Pneumonia from tularemia can lead to respiratory failure and be fatal. Luckily, there are only about 200 cases reported in the U.S. each year… but it is not so lucky if you end up being one of those 200 cases to this preventable disease.

How Do You Treat Tularemia From A Tick Bite?

The typical incubation period for this disease is 3 to 5 days, but it is possible to start developing symptoms within 24 hours of infection or as late as two weeks after. Because of the serious nature of Tularemia, it is recommended to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Administering antibiotics as early as possible is the key to a fast and full recovery. Antibiotics will be prescribed for 10 to 14 days (possibly longer, if needed). You or your doctor should also inform state and local healthcare departments so they can investigate the spread of this serious disease in the area as well.

Protect Your Family and Pets From Ticks And Tick-Borne Illnesses

Ticks are not only a nuisance… they can spread debilitating diseases that will change the lives of you and your family – and can even be deadly. We here at East End Tick Control® understand that you need peace of mind for you and your family when you are on your own property. Comfort and peace of mind are just a phone call away. For those living near Southampton, please call (631) 287-9700. If you are closer to East Hampton, please call (631) 324-9700. If you reside near Southold, please call (631) 765-9700. You can also contact us online and we will get back to you as soon as possible.