Alarm in Mühldorf: Rabbit plague infection confirmed by tick bite!

Alarm in Mühldorf: Rabbit plague infection confirmed by tick bite!

There is currently cause for concern in the Mühldorf district: One person, a minor resident of the eastern district, has been diagnosed with tularemia, also known as rabbit plague. The transmission presumably occurred through a tick bite. This is confirmed by a report from Innsalzach24. Despite the threatening diagnosis, the affected person is receiving medical treatment and receiving antibiotics, which means that the prognosis is good. The symptoms have so far been described as flu-like.

Tularemia is caused by the pathogen Francisella tularensis, which is extremely highly contagious. Even an infectious dose of around ten pathogens is enough to trigger an illness. The incubation period is usually between 1 and 14 days, with illness often occurring after 3 to 5 days. How the Robert Koch Institute explained, the symptoms can differ depending on the transmission route. The most common symptoms include fever, headaches, body aches and swelling of the lymph nodes.

Transmission and Prevention

There are many ways in which tularemia can be transmitted. In addition to tick bites, insect bites, contact with infectious animal material or eating undercooked meat can also lead to infection. In some cases, contaminated water can also pose a danger. This puts the rural population and professional groups such as hunters and forest workers in particular at risk. The AGES emphasizes the need for preventative measures, such as wearing protective clothing and gloves when handling wild animals, and washing hands thoroughly after gardening and forestry work.

A recommended measure to reduce risk is to thoroughly cook game meat. This not only ensures safety when handling food, but also protects against unwanted infections. Anyone who deals with discovered or sick animals should also be very careful: dead or sick animals must not simply be disposed of, but must be submitted to the responsible authorities for examination in order to prevent the pathogens from spreading.

Review of incidents

The current illness is not the first case in the Mühldorf district. An adult was infected as early as 2024; in total, there have been no fewer than 71 known cases in Bavaria in recent years. Experts are now closely following how the situation develops. The reporting obligation under the Infection Protection Act is particularly important here: Evidence must be reported to the health department within 24 hours.

Knowing the risks and severity of the disease, it is important to remain vigilant and take prophylactic measures seriously. However, with proper treatment, the prospects for a full recovery are encouraging. This is also shown by the case of the underage patient in the Mühldorf district, who is on the road to recovery.