**PRESCOTT, Ariz. Two cases of a tick-borne disease have been found in Yavapai County.
State and local Health Officials say a rabbit in Chino Valley and onein Dewey have tested positive for tularemia, or rabbit fever.
Rarely, tularemia can be spread to humans through contaminated food or water or by inhaling the airborne bacterium.
Onset of symptoms include swollen glands, sore throat, mouth sores and skin ulcers.
About 200 human tularemia cases are reported each year.
Is this only a South West disease ?, I havent heard of a case of this on theEast coast andthe ones thatwere reported on in the newswere all due to the import ofPrarie Dogs .
At this time, it is considered a rare disease in the US.(Less than 200 cases a year in this country). But it is beingstudied because some scientists think it can be used as a bioterroristweapon.
Blue Giants, Thank You so much for thatarticle it was very informative , I got amuch better understanding of itnow . still scarey though no matterhow you read it .