What you need to know about . . .
Tularemia and Bioterrorism
What is tularemia?
in a laboratory, although manufacturing
Tularemia is a serious illness caused by the
an eﬀective aerosol weapon would require
bacterium Francisella tularensis. This bacteria is
advanced knowledge and technology.
most commonly found in animals, especially
rodents, rabbits and hares.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of tularemia include fever, head-
How do you get it?
People can get tularemia in several diﬀerent
ways, including being bi�en by an infected
tick, handling infected animals, eating
or drinking contaminated food or water
ache, chills, cough, chest pain, sore throat,
vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain,
with stiff neck and back pain occurring
less frequently. A rash occurs in about a
third of patients.
or breathing in the F. tularensis bacteria.
person to person, so infected people do not
How long does it take for a person to
become sick?
need to be isolated.
Symptoms may appear from 1 to 14 days
Tularemia organisms do not spread from
after exposure, but usually appear within
Can tularemia be used as a
bioterrorism threat?
3 to 5 days.
Several terrorist groups and some nations
How is tularemia diagnosed?
are believed to have or are experimenting
Health care workers diagnose tularemia
with biological weapons programs.
through laboratory tests on blood or sputum.
Tularemia is considered a potential threat
Preliminary laboratory results may be ready
as a biological weapon because the bacteria
in less than 2 hours; conﬁrmation results may
are very infectious. A small number
take from 24 to 48 hours. A person may be
can cause the disease. To be used as a
given treatment based on symptoms before
weapon the bacteria would likely be made
the laboratory results are ready.
airborne. People who inhale an infectious
aerosol would generally experience severe
How is tularemia treated?
respiratory illness, including life-threatening
Antibiotics including streptomycin,
pneumonia and infections if not treated.
gentamicin, doxycycline or ciprofloxacin
The bacteria occur widely in nature and
are used to treat tularemia in both adults
could be isolated and grown in quantity
and children. These antibiotics must be taken
Fact Sheet Series
according to directions for as many days as
be cooked thoroughly before eating. If you
directed, usually from 10 to 14 days. All the
suspect you have been exposed to tularemia
medication must be taken.
bacteria, get immediate medical care.
Is there a vaccine?
A vaccine for tularemia is not currently
What is the public health system doing
about the possibility of an outbreak?
available in the United States.
Local, state and federal public health agencies
are actively working with local health care
Would enough medication be available
in the event of a bioterrorism a�ack?
providers, hospitals, emergency response
teams, laboratories, veterinarians and others
Public health oﬃcials have large supplies
to prepare for large outbreaks and biological
of drugs, including any antibiotics needed
disasters of all types, including tularemia. If
in the event of a bioterrorism a�ack. These
bioterrorism is suspected, the Department of
supplies can be sent anywhere in the United
State Health Services notiﬁes the CDC, FBI
States within 12 hours.
and other appropriate authorities.
How can I protect myself?
Where can I get more information?
Tularemia occurs naturally in many parts of
Contact your local health department.
the United States including Texas. About 200
Tularemia information can be found on the
cases in people are reported in the United
Department of State Health Services Web
States each year. Use insect repellent with
site at www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/
DEET to prevent insect bites. Wear rubber
Tularemia/ and on the CDC Web site at
gloves when skinning or handling animals,
www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/tularemia.
especially rabbits. Wild game meat should
Department of State Health Services • 1100 W. 49th St. • Austin,Texas 78756 • 512-458-7400 • Toll Free 1-888-963-7111 • TDD 512-458-7708
Publication #19-12070
Rev 08/04