Overview

• The Lower Saxony State Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety has detected 22 tularemia cases in hares this year, compared to an annual average of 10.
• Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever, is a highly contagious bacterial disease in hares, with a milder subspecies prevalent in Northern Europe.
• Humans can contract the disease through contact with infected animals, with symptoms resembling the flu; human-to-human transmission has not been reported.
• Hunters are advised to wear disposable gloves and FFP2 masks when handling wild game, and to thoroughly cook wild meat before consumption.
• Testing limitations mean the true prevalence of tularemia in hare populations remains uncertain, as only sick or dead animals are typically examined.