THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS NEW MEXICO'S FIRST TULAREMIA CASE FOR 2014 IS A 65 YEAR OLD BERNALILLO COUNTY WOMAN. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE WOMAN WAS HOSPITALIZED BUT HAS RECOVERED AND RETURNED HOME.
TULAREMIA CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ILLNESS IN BOTH PEOPLE AND PETS. IN FACT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVEN CASES IN ANIMALS SO FAR THIS YEAR, INCLUDING FOUR DOGS AND THREE CATS FROM SANTA FE, BERNALILLO AND LOS ALAMOS COUNTIES.
TULAREMIA SYMPTOMS ARE SIMILAR TO PLAGUE AND IT CAN BE TRANSMITTED FROM PETS TO PEOPLE. CONTACT WITH INFECTED ANIMALS OR BEING BITTEN BY AN INFECTED TICK ARE SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CAN BE EXPOSED TO THE BACTERIA.
LAST YEAR THERE WERE FOUR CASES OF TULAREMIA, ALL OF THEM RECOVERED.
