Hasenpest in Aiterhofen: Danger for humans and animals! How to protect yourself!

Hasenpest in Aiterhofen: Danger for humans and animals! How to protect yourself!

Aiterhofen, Deutschland - alarm in Bavaria! The district office of Straubing-Bogen has discovered a worrying case of HasenPest. In the municipality of Aiterhofen, the dangerous pathogen of tularemia was detected in a died outportpager. In the past few weeks, several dead field harses have been found in the region. The rabbit plague, a rare but serious zoonose, can also spread to humans - a reason to worry!

The culprit? The bacterium francisella tulensis! Extremely contagious, ten to fifty bacteria are enough to trigger an infection. Hunters, chefs and veterinarians who have direct contact with sick or dead animals are particularly at risk. The disease can also be transmitted by dust or not sufficiently cooked meat. A infection from person to person has not yet been known, but the danger is real!

symptoms and treatment

The symptoms of the rabbit plague are treacherous and resemble flu: fever, headache and body aches, chills and swollen lymph nodes. In animals, the disease is often fatal, especially among rabbits and rodents. Infected animals show emaciation and apathy and usually die within a few days. In 2023, 19 cases were already reported to people in Bavaria, but the number of unreported cases could be much higher!

The good news? Tularemia can be treated with antibiotics and many infections heal without treatment. Nevertheless, caution is advised! In order to prevent infection, unprotected contacts with wild animals and their carcasses should be avoided. Hygiene is the be -all and end -all, especially when dealing with venison. If you want to be on the safe side, you should only enjoy wild dishes!