Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis is a tickborne disease caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum which is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected tick, contaminated needles, dehorning equipment, castrating knives, tattoo instruments, biting flies and mosquitoes. It was previously known as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE).

People exposed to the disease agent often have difficulty being diagnosed because of the non-specific nature of the symptoms. Most experience headaches, fever, chills, myalgia, and malaise that can be confused with other infectious and non-infectious diseases. . It tends to be most severe in the aging or immune-compromised. Severe complications can include respiratory failure, renal failure and secondary infections.

If human anaplasmosis is suspected, see your doctor immediately. Early diagnosis and treatment can reduce the time a person is ill and the severity of the disease. Human anaplasmosis is treated with antibiotics. In 2014, 448 confirmed or probable cases of anaplasmosis (8.3 cases per 100,000 population) were reported, down from the 627 cases reported in 2013. Despite these occasional decreases in reported cases, the overall trend is an increase in yearly case totals over time