Latvia sees sharp rise in tularemia cases this year

Latvia's Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (SPKC) has reported a continued rise in tularemia infections, a bacterial disease found in natural animal reservoirs. While 11 cases were recorded in all of 2025, mostly in late summer and autumn, 17 have already been confirmed this year.

The upward trend began in the second half of 2025. Between 2015 and 2024, Latvia recorded only seven cases in total over the entire decade, before the number jumped to 11 last year.

What is tularemia

The bacterium's natural reservoirs include rodents such as water voles, muskrats and beavers, as well as hares and arthropods like ticks, mosquitoes and horseflies. Discharge from infected animals can contaminate water, soil, hay or grain, and the bacterium can survive in the environment for a long time, including in dried dust.

Humans are usually infected through broken skin or mucous membranes — after a tick bite, an insect bite, contact with an infected animal or contaminated environment, or by consuming contaminated water or food. Infection is also possible by inhaling contaminated dust. The disease does not spread from person to person.

Without treatment, the fatality rate can reach 5–15%, compared with about 2% with proper treatment. The incubation period is typically 3–5 days. The illness often begins suddenly with fever, chills, fatigue, headache and muscle pain, and can also cause skin ulcers, swollen and painful lymph nodes, sore throat, eye inflammation or pneumonia.

Who is affected and where

Of the 17 confirmed cases this year, 12 are men and five are women. Seven patients are aged 45–64, six are over 65, and four are aged 25–44. All were hospitalized for treatment.

The highest numbers were recorded in the Zemgale region (six cases) and the Riga region (five), while Latgale recorded three, Vidzeme two and Kurzeme one case. Investigations found that most infections were linked to time spent outdoors, including contact with environments contaminated by rodents, insect bites and inhaling contaminated dust.

SPKC advises hunters, wildlife managers, and hikers or campers to take particular care, as they face a higher risk of infection. Anyone who develops symptoms after a tick bite, insect bite, contact with wildlife or potentially contaminated environments, unsafe water use or exposure to dusty conditions should see a doctor promptly and mention these risk factors to help speed up diagnosis.