Rabbit plague in Berlin: All clear despite rare cases!

Rabbit plague in Berlin: All clear despite rare cases!

There was recently cause for concern in Berlin, but the State Office for Health and Social Affairs (Lageso) has given the all-clear: rabbit plague, an animal disease that can also affect humans, remains a very rare zoonosis. How rbb24 Reportedly, a case of rabbit plague was recently recorded in the capital. One affected patient was treated but released after a short time. The Lageso makes it clear that there is no cause for concern.

Rabbit plague is caused by the bacterium *Francisella tularensis*. Transmission often occurs through contact with infected animals or contaminated water. Interestingly, ticks, mosquitoes and other insects can also act as vectors. In a comprehensive analysis leads Pharmacy look around states that over 200 species of animals can be affected, including rodents and birds. The brown hare in particular is at the center of attention when it comes to the spread of hare plague.

The risk to people

The symptoms of rabbit fever are flu-like and usually appear three to five days after infection. These include fever, chills, headache and body aches, and in some cases ulcers or swollen lymph nodes may also occur. Loud Pharmacy look around The mortality rate is around 2% with treatment, but can rise to up to 15% without adequate therapy.

The number of unreported cases of infected animals is estimated to be high, which means that the real number of infections may be significantly higher than appears in the statistics. Three cases were reported in Berlin in 2024 and 2023, one in 2022 and two in 2021. One death related to tularemia has been recorded since 2015, but it was unclear whether the infection was the cause since the patient was over 75 years old and had serious previous illnesses. The Lageso assumes a higher number of actual cases.

Protective measures and prevention

The Federal Office for Risk Assessment estimates the risk of contracting rabbit fever for the population to be low. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised as the disease is increasingly reported. To prevent infection, experts recommend avoiding contact with wild animals, wearing protective gloves and respirators when handling them, and cooking meat well. Insect bites should be prevented if possible by wearing appropriate clothing and insect repellent.

When it comes to the general threat from zoonotic diseases such as rabbit fever, the picture emerges is frightening: it is estimated that around 75% of newly emerging diseases come from animals. The reasons for the increase in zoonoses are diverse: climate change, factory farming and the trade in wild animals increase the risk of spillover events in which animal pathogens jump to humans.

Overall, rabbit plague remains a rare but serious issue. Responsible action and good information remain crucial in order to protect the population as best as possible.