Possums are known to carry various diseases. One of them is tularaemia. It is a bacterial disease caused by the Francisella tularensis bacteria. Possums can infect humans through their bites. Luckily, this disease is rare, but you should take precautions when interacting with possums and other wildlife.
possums eat dead rabbits
Possums are not particularly interested in eating dead rabbits, but they may seize the carcass from a house or other area where the rabbit has died. Rabbits are prey for many predators, including owls, hawks, foxes, and land squirrels. Possums also feed on leftovers, which they bring back to their dens. They often make their dens near rabbit hutches, so their presence is a risk to rabbits.
Possums are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat anything, but prefer plant matter. They are the main predators of rabbits in Australia and can kill rabbits much larger than themselves. Their powerful jaws and sharp teeth allow them to tear apart even the largest rabbits.
Possums also eat meat and berries. If you have a dead rabbit in your yard, you can scurry it out to possums, as they often pick the meat off the bones and skeleton. The food chain is connected to all living things, and food is a primary source of energy.
possums contaminate possums with tularemia
The ringtail possum is a suspected reservoir for tularaemia, an infectious disease. The disease can infect humans through the bites of infected possums. While the infection is generally fatal, it is possible to treat human cases of tularemia.
Possums may be contaminated with tularemia by coming into contact with an infected carcass. The bacteria can be absorbed into the body through the eyes, mouth, and lungs. The bacteria can be passed into human blood via the eye and open wounds, and can be present in contaminated food and water. Human cases of tularemia are rare and confined to the Northern Hemisphere, where cases usually do not exceed 100 cases per year. In Australia, the disease has long been considered endemic free, although recently two human cases were reported in Tasmania after contact with a dead ringtail possum.
Possums carry a variety of disease-causing agents, including Francisella tularensis and rickettsia. These agents can be spread to humans by contact with an infected possum or its fur, or by handling an infected animal. In many cases, human infection is rarer than infection in small animals, but can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
possums contaminate possums with calicivirus
The Wobbly possum disease virus (WPDV) causes fatal neurological disease in common brushtail possums. It is classified within the order Nidoviruses and the family Arteriviridae. It is most commonly transmitted through contact with infected possums. Human infections are rare but can be life-threatening. Infected animals show symptoms of intentional tremors, ataxia, difficulty climbing and presumed blindness.
The WPDV has been isolated from other members of the Arteriviridae and has evolved in possums. Australia has more than 20 species of possums and numerous other marsupials. Knowing which species are susceptible to infection by the virus could provide important information on disease ecology.
The WPDV virus has been isolated from possums in New Zealand and Australia. However, research on Australian possums has been limited. In New Zealand, the virus was isolated from three clinically affected possums. The index case was a juvenile male possum in December 1983, and the remaining cases were adult females in Tasmania in November 1985.
possums contaminate possums with possum tularemia
Possum tularaemia is a serious disease caused by a bacteria called Francisella tularensis. It is spread by direct contact or bites from infected animals. The disease is rare in humans, but can be deadly in small animals. In Australia, ringtail possums were associated with at least two outbreaks of the disease in early 2000.
People who are infected with possum tularemia are at risk of developing high fever, joint pain, nausea and vomiting. This bacterial disease is highly contagious and can infect the lungs, eyes, and skin. Transmission through the lungs is rare, but can occur when a person runs over an infected possum. Possums produce a gaseous aerosol that contains bacteria and can reach the lungs. The most severe form of possum tularemia is called pneumonic tularemia and can cause difficulty breathing and severe chest pain.
Possum hepacivirus is closely related to the virus found in brown rats in New York City. The virus’s genome shares 41.2% sequence similarity with a rat-derived virus that causes hepatitis.