US Warns Doctors of Possible Biological War Agent

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Federal health officials urged doctors and other health providers on Thursday to be on the lookout for outbreaks of tularemia, a potentially fatal bacteria that could be used as a biological warfare agent.


Tularemia, known also as "rabbit fever" or "deer fly fever," is usually acquired through tick or insect bites or by close contact with infected animals, particularly rabbits and muskrats.

A spokeswoman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites) said the agency had released information about tularemia in a bid to educate the public about a disease that is rare and easily treated with antibiotics.

The CDC did not say its report on the disease was related to any recent outbreaks.