Agriculture & Landscape Program
Tick-Borne Disease Diagnostics

Other Tick-Borne Diseases

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in New England and the United States. In addition to the Lyme disease pathogen, our laboratory can also screen ticks for the pathogens that cause anaplasmosis and babesiosis, the next most common tick-borne diseases in the northeast United States.

Anaplasmosis

Human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA), previously known as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), is caused by a bacterium, Anaplasma phagocytophilum. HGA is transmitted to humans by the bite of the deer tick and western black-legged tick. Infected ticks have been found in New England, the North Central states, New York, Maryland and California. For further information, see:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Human Anaplasmosis

Babesiosis

Babesiosis is caused by a protozoan parasite, Babesia microti (in the U.S.), that invades red blood cells, like malaria. The parasite is primarily transmitted by the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, and possibly other related Ixodid ticks. Most cases of the disease have been reported in the coastal areas of the northeastern United States. For further information, see:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Babesiosis

National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases

Other tick-borne diseases

For discussions on other tick-borne diseases we recommend:

National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases

Tick Management Handbook (Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station)