Rabbit fever cases detected in US. How to check for symptoms

A rare tick-borne disease has been detected in New York state, multiple media outlets have reported.

Three probable cases of rabbit fever, also known as tularemia, were detected in Suffolk County, Long Island, CNN reported, citing the New York Department of Health. The rare, but serious infection can occur after a bite from a tick or a fly that has fed on a sick animal, typically a rabbit. Long Island has a high tick risk score on the health department’s website indicating a “greater risk of encountering an infected blacklegged (deer) tick”; however, tularemia is usually spread by the Lone Star Tick, according to Suffolk County Department of Health Services.

The Department of Health and the Suffolk County Department of Health Services did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for more information on Aug. 4.

John Detmer, 9, was diagnosed with the disease this year after a tick bite on his head caused severe symptoms that lasted for weeks, his family told NBC News.

Detmer told the media outlet the disease was “painful,” causing his neck and sometimes his legs to hurt. The boy’s mother, Tracey Detmer, told NBC the family initially did not connect the bite to the illness, considering it’s not very common. When they visited an infectious disease doctor, he told them he had only ever seen tularemia once before in his career.

Fewer than 200 cases have been reported annually in recent years, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though the number of cases has risen since 2020. Suffolk County has had only a handful of reported rabbit fever cases, with four in 2024, three in 2023 and one in 2022, according to data from the county health department. Data for 2025 is not yet available.

Tularemia cases are more common from May through September, the CDC said, adding it is “more common in males, possibly because of a greater likelihood of exposure through hunting and landscaping.” While the disease occurs “in people of all ages,” it is most common in children, the CDC added.

How does rabbit fever spread to humans?

There are several ways through which the disease can spread to humans, according to the CDC, including:

• Skin contact with infected animals

• Drinking contaminated water

• Inhaling contaminated aerosols or agricultural and landscaping dust

Rabbit fever symptoms

Tularemia can be life-threatening for people if not treated quickly, but most infections can be treated successfully with antibiotics, the CDC says. Symptoms vary depending on how the person was infected. According to the Cleveland Clinic, they include:

• Fever over 103 degrees Fahrenheit

• Confusion or other mental changes

• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing

• Lightheadedness or fainting

• Racing or irregular heartbeat (heart palpitations)

• Blood in your vomit or poop

• Bluish skin, lips or nails (hypoxia)

• Pus or discharge from a sore

How to prevent tularemia infection

According to the CDC, you can prevent tularemia by using insect repellent, wearing protective clothing such as gloves when handling sick or dead animals, avoiding mowing over dead animals and checking for ticks after being in brushy areas.

Anyone who believes they have been bitten by a tick, and the bite progresses into an open sore or wound, is urged to contact a health care provider to begin treatment immediately.

Rabbit fever cases reported in Colorado

In June, tularemia was confirmed in a dead rabbit found in the Colorado town of Berthoud, about 45 miles north of Denver.

The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, in a June 9 statement, said: “Because tularemia is endemic in Larimer County, it is likely present in other areas throughout the county as well.”

“Health officials are reminding residents and visitors that a few simple precautions can help prevent illness from rabbits, ticks, and other wildlife while enjoying the outdoors this summer,” it added.

Colorado recorded nine human cases of tularemia in 2025.

Contributing: Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rabbit fever cases detected in US. How to check for symptoms