BREAKING NEWS: Tularemia outbreak has been confirmed in Fort Collins.

As The Denver Channel reported, Larimer County is warning about an outbreak of tularemia.

Health officials report that tularemia is a bacterial infection, it is most commonly transmitted to humans by the handling of sick or dead animals infected with tularemia.  Other ways that humans can also get infected are if they are bit by an infected tick or deer fly, by eating or drinking contaminated food or water and by inhaling airborne bacteria.

The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment issued an alert to residents of Hahn Acres, Linden Park, Paragon Estates, and homes in the Paragon Point subdivision along Southridge Greens Blvd. after a wild rabbit was found with tularemia.

Typical signs of infection in humans can include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, chest pain, and coughing. Eating or drinking food or water containing the bacteria can and may produce a throat infection, stomach pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Officials say tularemia can be effectively treated with antibiotics.

Dogs and cats also get tularemia by eating infected rabbits or other rodents and through tick and deer fly bites.  If your pet shows symptoms of illness including fever, nasal and eye discharge, and skin sores, take it to the veterinarian promptly.

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