The outbreak of turalemia in Palencia already affects 50 persons
A total of 50 people in Palencia have made tularemia , a bacterial disease associated with the plague of voles, while studying other 37 possible cases. Tularemia is a bacterial infection of wild rodents ( hares, rabbits, rats, field mice, voles ), caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, can be transmitted to humans by various routes:
-The bite of a tick, horsefly or mosquito.
-The inhalation of infected dirt or plant material.
-direct contact, through a wound in the skin, with an infected animal or its dead body (most often a rabbit, muskrat, beaver, or squirrel).
-The ingestion of infected meat.
The symptoms appear 3 to 5 days after of exposure to the bacteria. Usually appear suddenly and may last for several weeks after the onset of symptoms. Between the alarm of tularemia are fever, chills, sweating, irritation of the eyes (conjunctivitis, if the infection starts in the eye), headache, joint stiffness, muscle pains, red spot on the skin that grows up to become a sore, shortness of breath and weight loss.
The treatment of this disease consists in the administration of antibiotics . The prognosis is good in that the tularemia is fatal in less than 1% of the cases that receive treatment.
Among the measures to prevent the infection of tularemia is recommended:
– Avoid contact with dead animals , sick or behaviors not natural.
-to Avoid ingestion of water is not controlled sanitary.
-Use of protective clothing and repellent products to prevent insect bites and ticks. If you notice a tick attached, go as soon as possible to a health centre.
-Use gloves and masks when you capture, manipulate or remove these animals.
-do Not allow children to touch dead animals.
-The flesh of the wild animals have eaten, perfectly cooked. Freezing does not inactivate the agent responsible for tularemia.
-If you notice the presence of dead animals, with injuries or behaviors not natural, it shall notify this fact to the responsible hunting and animal health.
-In case of the appearance of suspicious symptoms of the disease (fever, swelling of lymph nodes, skin ulcers, etc) should contact with the doctor.
