Types Of Tularemia And Their Symptoms

Oropharyngeal Tularemia

Oropharyngeal tularemia affects the mouth, throat, and digestive system. It is most often transmitted through eating undercooked meat from infected animals or through drinking contaminated water. The most frequent route of transmission for this type of the disease is eating rabbit meat. Patients with oropharyngeal tularemia typically experience a sore throat and mouth ulcers, and these may be accompanied by nausea or vomiting. The lymph nodes in the neck usually swell, and the tonsils might also become inflamed. In the later stages, diarrhea and abdominal pain could develop. If oropharyngeal tularemia advances without treatment, it may lead to gastrointestinal bleeding. To reduce the risk of this form of tularemia, researchers recommend cooking all meat, including wild game, to a minimum temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This cooking temperature is sufficient to kill Francisella tularensis.

Get the details on the next type of tularemia now.

Pneumonic Tularemia

Pneumonic tularemia involves the lungs, and it is transmitted when an individual inhales Francisella tularensisbacteria that has become airborne. Although among the rarest types of this condition, it is also one of the most severe forms of tularemia for humans. Patients are at risk of contracting this variety of tularemia when they do gardening, construction work, or other activities that disturb the soil. Laboratory workers who work with this disease are at an increased risk of pneumonic tularemia, and the condition can develop when other less serious forms of tularemia are left untreated. The symptoms associated with pneumonic tularemia are similar to pneumonia and include chest pain, a dry cough, and breathing difficulties. As this condition progresses, patients might develop a lung abscess or pleural effusion (an accumulation of fluid around the lungs). This form of tularemia may require the use of intravenous antibiotics, and patients will need to be closely monitored for potential complications such as pericarditis (inflammation of the membrane that protects the heart). To reduce their risk of pneumonic tularemia, lab workers and individuals who garden or work with soil should wear face masks.

Learn more about the various forms of tularemia now.