Anaplasmosis

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Anaplasmosis

Anaplasmosis is a tickborne disease caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum.

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Anaplasmosis is a disease caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. These bacteria are spread to people by tick bites primarily from the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and the western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus).

People with anaplasmosis will often have fever, headache, chills, and muscle aches. Doxycycline is the drug of choice for adults and children of all ages with anaplasmosis.

Transmission
Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis and Testing
Treatment
Prevention
Epidemiology and Statistics
For Health Care Providers
For Public Health Officials
Doxycycline and Tooth Staining
Publications and Resources

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Key Resources

MMWR Diagnosis and Management of Tickborne Rickettsial Diseases: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Other Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses, Ehrlichioses, and Anaplasmosis - United States

MMWR – Diagnosis and Management of Tickborne Rickettsial Diseases: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Other Spotted Fever Group Rickettsioses, Ehrlichioses, and Anaplasmosis — United States pdf icon[PDF – 48 pages]

clip art image of a can of bug repellent.
Avoid ticks
The first step for preventing this devastating disease is to prevent tick bites.
Clip art image of a tick being pulled from skin by a pair of tweezers.
Remove ticks
If you find a tick attached to your skin, there’s no need to panic—the key is to remove the tick as soon as possible.
Map of the U.S. showing where American dog ticks can be found. They can be located in the eastern half of the U.S. and California.
Where ticks live
Not all ticks bite and transmit disease to people. Find out what which ticks are spreading disease in your area.
Page last reviewed: May 9, 2022
Content source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID), Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD)