Anaplasmosis

Infectious agent:  Anaplasma phagocytophilum

Description of illness: Symptoms include fever, shaking, chills, severe headache, malaise, myalgia, gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia) cough, and rash (rare cases).  Few people will develop all symptoms and the number and combination of symptoms varies greatly from person to person.  Similar symptoms are seen with ehrlichiosis but they occur in different regions of the U.S. with anaplasmosis most frequently reported in the upper midwest and northeastern U.S. in areas that correspond with the known geographic distribution of Lyme disease.