Residents in Colorado are concerned that sick or dead rabbits may have succumbed to tularemia, or "rabbit fever."
No matter how cute they may be, some rabbits in Colorado could make a person sick.
Residents of Jefferson County, Colorado are concerned some rabbits in the area might be infected with tularemia, or "rabbit fever."
Tularemia is a disease found in rodents, beavers and rabbits that when passed on to humans can be life-threatening.
Humans can contract the disease if they handle sick or dead rabbits, or if they've been bitten by a flea or tick infected with the bacteria.
Symptoms include a sore where the person was bitten, a high fever and swollen lymph nodes.
Antibiotics are used to treat those who are infected.
Thankfully, the disease cannot be passed from one human to another.
No cases of a human contracting the disease have been reported in Jefferson County.
Dave Volkel, an environmental health specialist with Jefferson County Public Health, has been searching the local area for dead rabbits in order to test them for the disease.
Volkel has focused on the area surrounding South Table Mountain Park after reports of dead rabbits being found.
He suggests using insect repellent and not going near any rabbits in the wild.
