Cases of rare tick-borne disease increase 81 percent in Putnam County

Another tick-borne illness is on the rise. Putnam County officials have reported 47 confirmed cases of anaplasmosis there in the first six months of the year, nearly doubling the average 26 cases the county has seen each of the past five years.

The rise in anaplasmosis, a typically rare and sometimes deadly tick-borne disease, is also being seen in the Capital Region, with Warren and Rensselaer County health departments reporting a surge in cases, too.

In nearby Dutchess County, the Department of Behavioral and Community Health reported that anaplasmosis is the second most common reported tick-borne disease after Lyme, although there has been no unusual spike this year. Columbia County health officials have also noted that they are treating both Lyme and anaplasmosis cases equally. In central New York, Onondaga County has reported six cases this year alone, compared to a total of three cases over the past five years.

Anaplasmosis is transmitted to humans primarily by infected nymphal ixodes scapularis ticks, also known as deer ticks, who pass on the bacteria Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Infected humans likely experience a fever, headache, chills, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If left untreated, anaplasmosis can lead to respiratory problems, bleeding, organ failure and even death — particularly among the elderly and the immunocompromised.

“While anaplasmosis can occur at any time of the year, cases typically peak in June and July, coinciding with the active season of the of nymphal ixodes scapularis ticks,” said Alison Kaufman, Epidemiologist for the Putnam County Department of Health.

Kaufman explained they are the source of more disease transmission than adult deer ticks, whose peak activity periods are in the spring and fall, because they are so tiny that people don't quickly find and remove them.

“I can’t make a prediction about how many cases there will be by the end of the year,” said Kaufman. “But I can say the highest months for tick-borne illnesses across the country are [almost behind us].”

She expects the county will report a few more cases by the end of the month and then things will “fall off pretty quickly in August.”

The Putnam County Department of Health issued a physician advisory to alert local healthcare providers about the rise in cases so they can inform residents what they can do to reduce their risk of contracting anaplasmosis and other tick-borne diseases.

Although anaplasmosis is still not as common as Lyme Disease, which accounts for 82 percent of all tick-borne illnesses according to the Centers for Disease Control, it can be more severe, as can babesiosis, another tick-borne illness. In Putnam County, Kaufman said trendlines of babesiosis cases have remained the same since last year.

“[Anaplasmosis and babesiosis] are more likely to cause hospitalization than Lyme disease is,” Dr. Richard Ostfeld, a senior scientist at Millbrook’s Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, told the Times Union: Hudson Valley. “Even though they are less prevalent, they … are important diseases in their own right. The patterns of growth they are showing is concerning.”

So why is there an increase with anaplasmosis? Kaufman suggests some of it could be behavioral factors. Anaplasmosis doesn’t have a trademark bullseye rash that’s seen in at least half of all Lyme cases — a fever is one of its hallmark clinical characteristics. Due to COVID, Kaufman said people might be more in the habit of checking their temperature, which would help in identifying an illness like anaplasmosis.

Additionally, healthcare providers are becoming more aware of the disease and how to test for it, said Kaufman.

Strides in testing, particularly with a faster PCR test becoming available in recent years, may also mean more cases are being reported.

Still, said Kaufman, “Even if behavioral factors are playing a role, we are seeing a legitimate increase otherwise.” Everything from ecological reasons  to climate change could be contributing to its rise.

Officials won’t have a firm accounting of this year’s increase in anaplasmosis until the state Health Department tests their collection of ticks for a variety of pathogens, which determines prevalence and spread.

In the meantime, there are a number of ways to prevent an infection from a tick, including applying permethrin to clothing, protecting lower legs by pulling socks over pant hems, hiking in the middle of a trail versus vegetation-lined trail edges, doing frequent full-body tick checks, and putting clothes in a hot dryer after returning from a hike.

Have tick removal tools handy so any ticks can be removed quickly. Ostfeld said people may want to put the removed tick in a plastic bag and store it in the freezer; if you do get sick, take it with you to the doctor so the tick can be tested to aid in a diagnosis.