What Is Tularemia?
7. Complications
Some patients with tularemia will go on to develop pericarditis. This is the inflammation of a membrane that helps to protect the heart. This condition can affect the heart’s ability to pump. The bacteria can also spread to the bones, sometimes causing a bone infection, which is known as osteomyelitis.
Pneumonic tularemia can result in respiratory failure, meaning the patient will not be able to take on oxygen or remove carbon dioxide from their body. If the bacterium spreads to the membrane protecting the spinal cord and brain, it can result in meningitis, which can be fatal in the more severe cases.
Advertisement
