How is tularemia spread? What are the symptoms?
• You can get tularemia by handling infected animals, by eating or drinking contaminated food or water or by inhaling contaminated dusts or sprays. Tularemia is not spread from person to person. • Depending on the type of exposure tularemia can occur in several forms: • Infection of the lungs (pneumonic) – the most common form and is caused by inhaling the bacteria through contaminated dusts or aerosols. • Enlargement of lymph glands in the neck and inflammation of the throat – occurs most commonly after ingesting contaminated food or water • Swollen lymph glands with or without a skin ulcer – can occur after handling contaminated materials or being bitten by infected ticks or other biting insects such as deer flies. • All forms of the disease are accompanied by flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, headaches, body aches, and weakness that usually occur three to five days after exposure to the bacteria. A person with pneumonia can develop chest pain, difficulty breathing and respir
