Researchers warn that an emerging disease transmitted by ticks poses a significant public health risk in New York State. This is according to a new study. The state has seen an increase in cases of anaplasmosis among humans over the past decade. Additionally, ticks have been found to carry the bacteria more often.AdvertisementAnaplasmosis can be caused by the bacteria Anaplasma Phagocytophilum. This bacteria needs to infiltrate white blood cells in order to survive. Lyme disease is spread by two types of ticks in the United States: the deer or black tick (Ixodes capularis) in East, and the western blacklegged tick(Ixodes Pacificus) on the Pacific coast. Fever, headaches, and vomiting are some of the symptoms that can be seen within a few days after a tick bite. It can progress to more severe symptoms, such as bleeding and organ failure, and eventually death. These cases are more common in those with already weak symptoms and those who don't get antibiotics promptly.Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease that can lead to death. This is in contrast to Lyme disease (another tickborne illness with similar symptoms) which can be debilitating and rarely causes death. Melissa Prusinski, a study author with the New York State Department of Healths Bureau of Communicable Disease Control told Gizmodo via email.Although the disease was first identified in the 1990s and then nationally monitored by health agencies, it was not recognized until 1999. Although anaplasmosis cases are still low relative to Lyme disease (the most common tickborne illness), its incidence has increased over the years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018, approximately 4,000 cases were reported in the United States. This is an increase from 348 cases in 2000. However, 2018 was down from 2017, which had 5,762 cases.The new study published in Emerging Infectious Diseases by the CDC indicates that New York has become a hotspot for anaplasmosis activity.Prusinski and her coworkers looked at surveillance data that the state had collected between 2010- 2018. Prusinski and her colleagues looked at surveillance data collected by the state between 2010-2018. This included information about people who have been reported as having cases, but also information about expeditions to tick territory in order to collect live samples.In total, 5,146 cases of anaplasmosis were reported in New York State during the years. This excludes New York City. 2018 saw a similar decline to that seen nationally. The general increase was concentrated in the Albany region with eightfold increases in cases. Deer ticks carrying the bacteria increased from 2.4% in 2010 to 4.5% in 2018. Anaplasmosis is now the second-most common tickborne disease in New York after Lyme.AdvertisementPrusinski stated that our research has shown that anaplasmosis in New York State has increased in some areas in recent years. This is partly due to an increase in infected ticks. Anaplasmosis is affecting more residents of New York State, and the size of this area has changed over time.Anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease spread by insects and ticks. There are many factors that have contributed to the increase in anaplasmosis across New York. Climate change is an important factor. Warmer temperatures over longer periods of times allow tick populations to become more dense and live longer. There are other pieces to the puzzle that could explain why anaplasmosis cases have increased rapidly in Albany and surrounding areas, as opposed to the gradual rise in Lyme and other tickborne diseases such as babesiosis. Prusinski suggests that anaplasmosis bacteria (another variant found in deers but not causing human disease) is increasing in ticks, and small mammals, though research continues to determine why.AdvertisementAlthough 2018 might have seen a slight decrease in anaplasmosis and reporting may have been affected by the pandemic, Prusinski believes that anaplasmosis will continue to pose a threat to New Yorkerse, which people will need protection against.She said that although there is no cure for anaplasmosis but there are simple ways people can prevent tickborne diseases by avoiding tick bites.AdvertisementYou can prevent ticks from getting on your skin while hiking, or in other tick-infested areas such as the woods. You can also find other tips on the Department of Health's website.
