Blacklegged TickIn the United States, anaplasmosis is carried primarily by the blacklegged tick found in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. This tick also transmits Lyme disease and can infect people with more than one disease at a time.
In rare instances, anaplasmosis has been reported along the Pacific Coast, eastern Oregon, western Utah, and Arizona where it is transmitted by the Western blacklegged tick.
The majority of cases occur during the summer when ticks are most active.
When an infected blacklegged or Western blacklegged tick bites a person, bacteria enter person’s the bloodstream and attack the red blood cells.
Generally, the tick must stay attached for 24 to 48 hours in order to transmit anaplasmosis, so removing a tick soon after a bite occurs can help prevent the likelihood of disease transmission.
Western Blacklegged TickBlacklegged tick bites are usually painless, and many people are unaware of their having been bitten.
Blacklegged ticks can carry more than one pathogen that can be transmitted to humans by the same bite (Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and others).
Statistics
In 2018, there were approximately 4000 cases of anaplasmosis in the United States.
Deaths from anaplasmosis are rare
Health experts believe that cases of anaplasmosis are under-reported
Half of the individuals who experience symptoms require hospitalization
Where Anaplasmosis Is Found
Anaplasmosis is most frequently reported from the upper midwestern and northeastern United States with more than 70% of the cases occurring in five states: Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Blacklegged tick territory has expanded in recent years, and cases of anaplasmosis have been reported more recently in Michigan and Virginia.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System
Symptoms
Usually occur 1–2 weeks after the bite of an infected tick
Most people will have mild or moderate illness, though severe illness and death have occurred
Symptoms will vary from person to person. Not all people will have the same symptoms
Early Symptoms (days 1-5) are usually mild or moderate and can include:
Fever, chills
Severe headache
Muscle aches
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite
Late stage illness can include
Difficulty breathing/gasping for air
Excessive Bleeding
Heart, kidney, and/or liver failure
Brain-related issues such as confusion, seizures, or coma
Life-threatening internal infection
Death
Who Is Most at Risk?
Anaplasmosis is most often reported in
Males
Individuals over 40 years of age
People with weakened immune systems ( associated with cancer treatments, advanced HIV infection, prior organ transplants, or some medications)
People who live near or spend time in known tick habitats