Taiwan reports first rabbit fever case in 3 years

ANKARA

Taiwan on Tuesday reported the first case of tularemia, or “rabbit fever” in nearly three years, the Centers for Disease Control said.

The CDC said the new case involving a woman in her 70s was reported from southern Taiwan.

She developed a fever and general weakness before her blood tests detected the tularemia pathogen. Her symptoms improved during a two-week hospital stay, and she was later discharged. The source of infection remains unknown.

Since tularemia was designated an infectious disease 2007, Taiwan has reported three cases: two imported from the US in 2011 and a local case in 2021.

Tularemia, caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, occurs in wildlife such as rabbits, hares, voles, muskrats, beavers, and water rats. Even low levels of the pathogen can cause illness.

It can be transmitted through bites from ticks or deer flies, contact with infected animal tissue, ingestion of contaminated food or water, or inhalation of dust containing the pathogen.

There have been no reports of human-to-human transmission, the CDC said.

*Writing by Aamir Latif