Alaska officials warn that hares could transmit a deadly disease to humans and domestic animals

Alaskan wildlife officials recently issued a warning to residents of Fairbanks: beware of hares.

In a press release issued last month, the Alaska Sport Fishing Department announced that it had received calls regarding an "abundance" of hares – some of which had died – in the area of Fairbanks.

Dead hares may have contracted an infectious disease called tularemia. The disease, which is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, "is most often diagnosed in hares and domestic animals inside Memorial Day between Memorial Day and Labor Day because it is transmitted by hares and mice. camp ticks that are active during the summer. Tick ​​species known to carry the bacteria prefer hares and rodents, but sometimes bite dogs, cats or humans, "said the wildlife agency.

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In addition, the agency noted that two species of dog ticks "have settled around urban areas of Alaska and are able to spread the bacteria".

Pets can also contract the disease by "chewing or catching" hares with tularaemia. If a pet is infected, people can also get tularemia through the saliva of their pet or by handling infected hares. And, according to the Alaska Sport Fishing Department, people can become infected "even before the animal shows signs of illness."

There are several types of tularemia, according to the Mayo Clinic. But in the most common form of the disease – ulceroglandular tularemia – the signs in humans include fever, chills, exhaustion, skin ulcer at the site of infection and swollen and painful lymph nodes. Infected pets may also show similar signs, such as lethargy, high fever, and swollen lymph nodes, according to the Wildlife Department.

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People can reduce the risk of contracting the disease by wearing gloves or using a plastic bag to remove a hare from their pet. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, which recommends throwing dead hares in the trash or burying them deep enough away from pets or other animals, also advises them to wash their hands thoroughly.

If infected, the disease can be "easily cured" with some antibiotics – but can be fatal if left untreated.

"Tularemia in humans is rare and can be avoided by taking safety precautions," said Kimberlee Beckmen, veterinarian at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, in a statement. "Do not let your pets roam freely or have access to hares. Dogs and cats that go outside may be treated with a veterinary product that will kill ticks in less than 24 hours, so ticks do not spread the disease and are not spread. "