Anaplasmosis was first recognized in the mid-1990s and was previously known as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis.
It is a rickettsial infection of granulocytes caused by the intracellular bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum.
People can get anaplasmosis through the bite of a blacklegged tick (deer tick) that is infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum bacteria. Blacklegged ticks live on the ground in areas that are wooded or have lots of brush. The ticks search for hosts at or near ground level and grab onto a person or animal as they walk by.
Anaplasma belong to obligate intracellular microorganisms, Gram-negative bacteria, living in the blood cells of mammals. Vertebrates can be their reservoir, i.e. an environment where the pathogen can live and proliferate for many years. However, in many cases bacteria from the genus Anaplasma cause diseases in domestic animals and people.
An essential part in the life cycle of the bacteria is played by vectors, organisms which contribute to their circulation in the environment. The main vectors of the Anaplasma bacteria are ticks, common arachnida occurring everywhere in the world, especially the genera Ixodes, Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus and Amblyomma.
Symptoms of anaplasmosis may include:
▪ Fever
▪ Headache
▪ Muscle aches
▪ Nausea or abdominal pain
Tick-exposure, if known, usually precedes symptom development by one to two weeks. Although complications, such as sepsis, heart failure, renal failure, neurologic disease and rhabdomyolysis remain infrequent, almost half of patients with anaplasmosis require hospital admission.
Anaplasmosis
