Have You Heard of Anaplasmosis?

Please remember: We’re professionally trained to kill ticks, not the diseases they carry. If you have a medical concern, please consult your doctor immediately.

Anaplasmosis is not when a tick bites you and you become a superhero. Unfortunately, it is a tick-borne disease that is worse than Lyme disease. This disease can be found in Northeastern and upper Midwestern states, particularly in New England states: Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Maine. Anaplasmosis is caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, which spreads from a tick bite from a blacklegged tick or a western blacklegged tick.

When going outside, there are prevention measures everyone should take to protect themselves from getting bitten.

Anaplasmosis Prevention

• What to Wear Outdoors

When going outside, especially in woody and grassy areas, do not forget to mist your exposed skin as well as your clothing with repellent that contains DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD), or 2-undecanone. While using any product, always make sure to follow the instructions closely. If you are protecting children under the age of 3, it is recommended to not use products that contain OLE or PMD. These preventable measures help to secure you from any tick bites and any disease that may come with them.

• Where to Inspect Your Body for Ticks

When coming back inside, there are some places on your body that you should check for a tick bite: under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, back of the knees, in and around the hair, and around the waist. It is also recommended, that you take a shower within 2 hours of returning back home. Taking a shower is an easy way to check all of the areas that are listed above.

Signs & Symptoms of Anaplasmosis

Early signs of anaplasmosis include fever, chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. Later complications include respiratory failure, bleeding problems, organ failure, and death. If you are experiencing any of those symptoms, please consult a doctor for an immediate diagnosis. Delaying any treatment, especially if you have a weak immune system, causes you to be more at risk for severe symptoms.

Anaplasmosis Treatment

The earlier you are able to visit your doctor, the better. Early treatment with antibiotic doxycycline can prevent death and severe symptoms to occur.

You can take an additional precautionary step and contact Mosquito Squad today to protect your yard from ticks and tick-borne diseases.