Whats Tularemia
Tularemia is a bacterial disease caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. It can occur naturally in rodents, rabbits, and hares. Humans usually contract the disease through ticks, deer flies, or contact with infected animals especially rabbits, but also cats, dogs, swine, and other mammals. It is zoonotic, which means it can be transmitted from animals to people. People have also been infected by inhaling dust from the urine, feces, or carcasses of infected animals.
Symtoms of tularemia
In humans, tularemia symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches and fatigue, loss of appetite, and a general feeling of discomfort. In some cases, tularemia causes a sore throat, ulcers on the pharynx and larynx, difficulty breathing due to inflamed lungs, abdominal pain due to inflammation of the liver and spleen, diarrhea, vomiting blood.
The infection may also cause skin ulcers or lesions that resemble those caused by insect bites. Untreated cases have a mortality rate of up to 50%.
The good news is that tularemia can be treated with antibiotics if it is diagnosed early.
So, the answer to the question “Can you eat rabbits with tularemia?” is yes, but you should always consult a doctor if you think you may have contracted the disease. Early diagnosis of tularemia is important because if the disease remains untreated, it can be fatal.