Anaplasmosis
- Marilyn Fancher
- Oct 4, 2013
- 1 min read
One of my friends at Albany Med was just hospitalized for five days for Anaplasmosis, caused by a tick bite. The tick was on for only a very brief time. She had a 104.5 degree temperature for an extended period of time.
I am not trying to scare anyone and this will not keep me away from Five Rivers, but I am just posting this for your information.
The following is from the Center for Disease Control website.
"Anaplasmosis is a tickborne disease caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. It was previously known as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) and has more recently been called human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA). Anaplasmosis is transmitted to humans by tick bites primarily from the black-legged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the western black-legged tick (Ixodes pacificus). Of the four distinct phases in the tick life-cycle (egg, larvae, nymph, adult), nymphal and adult ticks are most frequently associated with transmission of anaplasmosis to humans. Typical symptoms include: fever, headache, chills, and muscle aches. Usually, these symptoms occur within 1-2 weeks of a tick bite. Anaplasmosis is initially diagnosed based on symptoms and clinical presentation, and later confirmed by the use of specialized laboratory tests. The first line treatment for adults and children of all ages is doxycycline. Anaplasmosis and other tickborne diseases can be prevented."
I also had a friend that passed out at our breakfast table and ended up in the ER at Albany Med. He had been out in the woods did his tick check upon coming home and was fine for weeks. Upon his visit to us from Dutchess County he came down with a very high fever then headache and proceeded to drop to the floor. After three days in the hospital we suggested they do several tick Bourne illness tests. One week after he went home from the hospital the results showed Anaplasmosis. Please, please be vigilant. The warmer climate brings these parasites out almost year round now.