‘Rabbit fever’: <a href="https://healthylife7.com/what-bifidobacteria-tell-us-about-gut-health-and-how-diet-can-help/” title=”What Bifidobacteria tell us about gut health and how diet can help”>Health officials warn of rare tick-borne illness that can cause severe illness
Ninfa Saavedra, Digital Content Specialist
Published: August 4, 2026 at 5:08 AM
Health officials are warning people to protect themselves from ticks as a rare but potentially serious disease known as tularemia, or “rabbit fever,” continues to be reported in parts of the United States. While uncommon, the bacterial infection can cause severe illness if it’s not recognized and treated early
Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis and can spread to people through the bite of an infected tick or deer fly, contact with infected animals, especially rabbits and rodents, contaminated water, or inhaling contaminated dust. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ticks often become infected after feeding on sick rabbits
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Symptoms of tularemia
Symptoms typically develop three to five days after exposure but can appear anywhere from one to 21 days later. Common symptoms include:
- High fever
- Extreme fatigue
- Headaches
- Muscle and joint aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Painful skin ulcers or sores near the site of a tick bite
Dr. Sharon Nachman, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, said patients with tularemia often become seriously ill
“You have a headache, your muscles hurt, your joints hurt, you’re miserable and you are often in the emergency room. This is not the kind of illness that you’re at home going, ‘I feel a little unwell.’”
The warning comes after 9-year-old John Detmer spent nearly two weeks sick after being bitten by a tick while playing in his backyard Doctors later diagnosed him with tularemia
Doctors say tularemia can be effectively treated with antibiotics, but early diagnosis is important to help prevent serious complications. Without treatment, the infection can spread throughout the body and become life-threatening in some cases
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How to protect yourself from tick bites
The CDC recommends taking the following precautions to reduce your risk of tick-borne illnesses:
- Use an EPA-registered insect repellent when outdoors.
- Wear long sleeves and long pants in wooded or grassy areas.
- Perform a full-body tick check after spending time outside.
- Shower soon after coming indoors.
- Remove attached ticks as soon as possible with fine-tipped tweezers.
- Contact a healthcare provider if a tick bite develops into an open sore or if you experience fever or other flu-like symptoms after a tick bite.
Although tularemia is rare, health experts say knowing the symptoms and seeking prompt medical care can make a significant difference in recovery
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