Tick-borne infections - what is the danger of anaplasmosis? A doctor explains

An expert warns that due to the mild climate, ticks are reproducing more actively and expanding their habitat, which increases the risk of anaplasmosis spreading in Central Russia.

— A warm winter can indeed contribute to the growth of the tick population. The main reasons are the acceleration of the life cycle. In a mild climate, development from larva to adult occurs faster, as well as the expansion of the range - ticks spread to unfamiliar regions, including the Central Federal District (CFD), — the expert noted.

Anaplasmosis, a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks , can occur in mild to severe forms.

— Mild form: fever, weakness, myalgia (similar to flu). Severe form: leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, liver damage, in rare cases — meningoencephalitis (mortality <1%, but higher in immunocompromised individuals), — Shakhmardanov explained.

According to him, in the coming years, anaplasmosis may become endemic in the Central Federal District.

“It is likely that within 5–10 years, anaplasmosis may become endemic for the Central Federal District, especially in forest and forest-steppe zones,” the professor warned.

To reduce the risk of infection, the doctor recommends:

• Use repellents with DEET (30-50%) or permethrin (for treating clothing).

• Wear light-colored, closed clothing to make ticks easier to spot.

• Carefully examine the body after visiting forests or parks.

— The causative agents of anaplasmosis are sensitive to tetracycline drugs, therefore doxycycline is used in the treatment of anaplasmosis. There are no official recommendations for post-exposure chemoprophylaxis of anaplasmosis in our country, but a number of researchers recommend a single dose of 100 mg of doxycycline, — the specialist added.

There is no vaccine against anaplasmosis, but residents of the Central Federal District should consider getting vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis.