Killer beaver disease could become ‘more deadly to humans’
A fatal disease that has killed at least nine beavers could become more fatal to humans, according to officials.
The disease, known as tularemia, has been recently spotted in Utah and can lead to several symptoms including skin sores, enlarged glands, inflamed eyes, diarrhoea and even pneumonia when transmitted to humans.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) has found the remains of nine beavers believed to have died of tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, hare plague and deer fly fever.
The number has shocked experts as the last animal death connected with the disease was in 2017.
The disease can be passed on by a tick or a deerfly bite, coming into direct contact with the blood of infected animals, drinking contaminated water or ingesting undercooked rabbit meat from an infected animal.
The beavers’ bodies were found across three counties: Utah, Summit and Wasatch, and tests on three of the animals were positive for tularemia.
DWR veterinarian Ginger Stout said: ‘The bacteria that causes this infection is known to be in the environment in many parts of Utah; however, it is unusual to see this many animals die from it at once.’
The US reports fewer than 300 cases of tularemia infections each year, with antibiotics given to treat the disease, but if it’s left unchecked, it can become fatal.
However, experts are concerned that if there is an increase in animal deaths, then the number of human infections could rise too.
A 2023 study revealed that tularemia also increased between 2011 and 2019, with 1,984 cases reported during that time.
Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis. When consumed by the body’s immune cells, instead of being destroyed, as is normally the case, the bacteria can multiply, spreading around the body.
Tularemia takes around three to five days to appear following exposure, but in some cases it can take up tp two weeks.
Symptoms then can escalate to a fever of 39C or higher, and can cause people to cough up blood, have severe abdominal pain, and hypoxia – blueish skin, nails or lips caused by low oxygen in the blood.
‘There is a concern about the possibility of tick-borne or fly-borne diseases, so it’s advised to take the necessary precautions by wearing protective clothing, using appropriate insect repellent and checking for ticks after being in brushy areas,’ said Mr Stout.