Tularemia detection in Larimer County prompts summer risk alert

Tularemia has resurfaced on the radar in northern Colorado after Larimer County officials confirmed the bacterium in a dead rabbit found in a southwest Berthoud neighborhood on June 9, 2026. The county’s public health department said the finding should be treated as a broader seasonal warning, not an isolated event, because tularemia is endemic in Larimer County and is likely present in other parts of the county as well. (larimer.gov)

The immediate trigger was a wildlife detection, but the background is familiar in Colorado. Tularemia is a rare but potentially serious zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis, with rabbits, hares, and rodents among the most susceptible species. CDC says people can be infected through tick or deer fly bites, skin contact with infected animals, contaminated water, or inhalation of contaminated aerosols and landscaping dust. That helps explain why local officials highlighted not only insect precautions, but also gardening, mowing, leaf blowing, and handling dead wildlife. (cdc.gov)

Larimer County’s advisory included several concrete prevention steps: use EPA-registered repellents such as DEET or picaridin, check for ticks after outdoor activity, wear gloves while gardening or removing dead rabbits or rodents, wear shoes outdoors, and consider a dust mask when mowing, digging, or using a leaf blower. Officials also asked residents to report three or more dead animals, especially rabbits or rodents, found in one area over a two-week period. The county said it has documented seven human tularemia cases since 2020, underscoring that while uncommon, the disease is not merely theoretical in the region. (larimer.gov)

For veterinary teams, the most relevant context is occupational and household exposure risk. CDC’s 2025 recommendations say veterinary staff, animal control officers, and others with frequent animal contact could be at risk during naturally occurring epizootics. The agency also notes that routine-care transmission risk appears low, but post-exposure prophylaxis or fever monitoring may be considered after higher-risk events such as needlestick injury, bites, scratches, or direct contact with secretions or body fluids from an animal with suspected or confirmed tularemia. (cdc.gov)

Published evidence also reinforces the veterinary role in prevention messaging. A CDC-backed review of human tularemia linked to domestic dogs found that veterinarians are well positioned to counsel pet parents on tick control, safe disposal of carcasses retrieved by dogs, avoiding close facial contact with hunting or roaming pets, and prompt care for ill animals. The same paper recommends involving public health officials when tularemia is identified in a dog or cat so potential exposures in households and clinics can be assessed quickly. (stacks.cdc.gov)

Why it matters: In practice, the Larimer County alert is less about a single dead rabbit than about seasonal risk communication. Veterinary clinics in Colorado, and especially in endemic areas, may want to refresh staff awareness around differential diagnosis, PPE, intake questions about wildlife contact and ticks, and protocols for handling suspect cases or carcasses. There’s also a client-facing opportunity: pet parents often hear these alerts as human health news, but the veterinary message is adjacent and actionable, particularly for dogs that roam, hunt, or retrieve wildlife, and for cats with outdoor exposure. Colorado’s reporting requirement within one working day adds another reason for clinics to be ready. (cdphe.colorado.gov)

One expert voice in the county advisory framed the issue plainly. Dr. Paul Mayer, medical officer for the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment, said it’s important for residents and visitors to take steps to avoid infection, specifically recommending effective insect repellent, tick checks after time outdoors, and keeping children and pets away from wild animals, including rabbits and squirrels. That message aligns closely with CDC’s prevention guidance and with the One Health framing that tularemia demands. (larimer.gov)

What to watch: Through the rest of summer 2026, the key signals will be whether Larimer County reports additional wildlife detections, whether neighboring jurisdictions issue similar advisories, and whether veterinary or human case counts rise alongside peak tick exposure and landscaping activity. If that happens, clinics may see more questions from pet parents, and public health agencies may intensify outreach around wildlife contact, vector control, and reporting. This forward-looking assessment is an inference based on the county advisory, CDC transmission pathways, and the seasonality of outdoor exposure. (larimer.gov)