Onondaga Health Department reports six cases of rare disease in CNY spread through ticks

The Onondaga Health Department announced Thursday a rise in cases of a disease rare to Central New Yorkers — a disease spread through ticks.

There have been three cases of anaplasmosis, typically a rare disease in Central New York, in the last five years. Onondaga County has reported six cases so far this year.

“In New York state, the disease is spread by the black-legged tick, which is the same type of tick that typically spreads Lyme disease,” Dr. Indu Gupta, Onondaga County health commissioner, said. “If we are diligent in practicing the same prevention measures we’ve learned to prevent Lyme disease, we are protecting ourselves from other tick borne diseases including anaplasmosis.”

Anaplasmosis symptoms begin within one to two weeks after being bitten by an infected tick. Symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If gone untreated, the disease can cause severe illness, including death in some rare cases.

In May, Upstate Medical University’s lab received 1,548 ticks, which was more than triple than the ticks received last year. As Central New York continues to see warm weather, ticks like the black-legged tick grow hungrier.

Black-legged ticks tend to carry a variety of bacteria and viruses that cause diseases like anaplasmosis, but the most common is Lyme disease.

To prevent tick bites:

Wear shoes, light-colored socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck in your shirts and tuck pant legs into boots or socks.
Use insect repellents approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. You can use EPA’s search tool to see what repellent to use.
Use 0.5% permethrin, an insecticide that kills or repels mosquitoes, to treat clothing and gear.

Make a habit of checking for ticks and removing them right away. To do this, take tweezers to the tick’s head or mouth and pull it firmly up, in a steady motion, away from the skin. Clean the bite with soap and water, rubbing alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide.

Keep a record of the date, time, and where you were bitten.

If you find a tick, either crawling around or attached to a human or pet, you can send it to Upstate Medical University’s lab. Start by filling out the online submission form, then follow the instructions. You’ll receive an email telling you what kind of tick you sent it and whether it carried any diseases. Testing is free.

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