A Tick Disease to Rival Lyme

  |  April 12, 2012
Flickr/John Tann

From the infection disease hysteria department, this just in: as if there’s not already enough Lyme Disease upstate, particularly in Dutchess County, news comes from Albany that a new tick-borne disease is on the rise. “It is called anaplasmosis,” writes the Times-Union, “and it feels like a terrible case of the flu or mononucleosis. The bacterial infection causes a fever, headache, muscle pain, malaise, chills, nausea and confusion.” People over 65 are more prone to it, so watch out, boomers and Greatest Generation folks.

The good news is that it tends to respond to anti-biotics and, while it’s on the rise, it’s not so pervasive. “In 2009, there were 58 cases of anaplasmosis in the nine counties around Albany, but the number doubled by 2011, reaching 114, according to the state Department of Health.”

Tick season is expected to be fierce, due to our warm winter, so as always, wear your unfashionable socks-over-pants outfits and perform ritual tick checks!

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