Small amounts of a bacteria that causes "rabbit fever" were found on Washington's National Mall last weekend as thousands of protesters marched against the Iraq War, U.S. health authorities said on Saturday.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said several government environmental air monitors in the Mall area detected low levels of Francisella tularensis bacteria that cause Tularemia, commonly known as rabbit fever, on September 24-25.
Public health agencies had no reports of any related human or animal illnesses caused by the bacteria.
The CDC said it issued an alert on Friday night as a precaution so medical personnel were aware of the situation and could report any suspected cases.
Rabbit fever can not be passed from person to person and can be effectively treated with readily available medicines, the CDC said. Symptoms usually appear 3 to 5 days after exposure, but in rare cases can take up to two weeks.
According to the CDC's Web site, people can get rabbit fever by:
* Being bitten by a infected tick, deerfly or other insect
* Handling infected animal carcasses
* Eating or drinking contaminated food or water
* Breathing in the bacteria
The CDC also said the bacteria can be used as a weapon if made into an aerosol that could be inhaled.
"The bacteria that cause Tularemia occur widely in nature and could be isolated and grown in quantity in a laboratory, although manufacturing an effective aerosol weapon would require considerable sophistication," the CDC said.
Chip Flowers
Bunny Bacteria found in DCnnV Bunny Bacteria found in DC
Via Reuters/Yahoo: US finds fever bacteria during war protest weekend WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Small amounts of a bacteria that causes "rabbit fever" were found on Washington's National Mall last weekend as thousands of protesters marched against the …
Comment by Don't Go Into The Light on Dec 3rd, 2006 @ 02:06