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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah wildlife officials are urging residents to take precautions and report dead rabbits and rodents after three dead beavers tested positive for tularemia, while seven other animals found in three counties are believed to have also died from the disease.
The rash of deaths was first discovered a few weeks ago. Five beavers died near the Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, an area north of Park City, between March 23 and April 2, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. All five beavers had shared a lodge on the preserve.
Division biologists discovered another dead beaver near Midway on April 5, before three more were found near Jordanelle Dam and Birdseye, in Utah County, between April 8 and April 10. A vole, another rodent species, was also found dead near the Jordanelle Dam.
Three of the beaver carcasses were submitted for testing at the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Lab and the Utah Public Health Lab and all three tested positive for the disease, which is also referred to as "rabbit fever," "hare plague" or "deerfly fever."
The disease is caused by bacteria spread by tick or deerfly bites, but also by direct contact with blood or tissue from infected animals or the ingestion of contaminated water, undercooked rabbit or hare meat from an infected animal, division officials said on Monday. The last known case was discovered near Kanab in 2017.
"The bacteria that causes this infection is known to be in the environment in many parts of Utah; however, it is unusual to see this many animals die from it at once," Ginger Stout, a veterinarian for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, said in a statement.
While the disease is more common in rabbits and rodents, division officials say humans are "susceptible" to tularemia, too. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms can vary in humans. These include:
- Skin ulcers at the site where the bacteria enters the body.
- Irritation and inflammation of the eye or swelling of lymph glands in front of the ear.
- Sore throat, mouth ulcers, tonsillitis or swelling of lymph glands in the neck. This often occurs when consuming food or water that is contaminated.
- Cough, chest pain and difficulty breathing. This often occurs when breathing in dust or aerosol containing the bacteria.
The disease can be treated with antibiotics, but it's potentially life-threatening if not treated quickly.
Stout said people should consider taking "necessary precautions" to avoid the disease by wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent and checking for ticks after being in brushy areas.
Anyone who finds dead rabbits, beavers or other rodents should also avoid touching the carcass, and report it to the closest Utah Division of Wildlife Resources office.
