Anaplasmosis

Reportable by Laboratories and Providers

About this Reportable Disease

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.

Interactive Disease Data

Laboratory Reporting for this Disease

Rickettsia PCR

TEST NAME	Rickettsia PCR
DISEASE/DISORDER	Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
ALTERNATE NAME(S)	Rickettsia rickettsii, Rickettsia prowazekii
METHODOLOGY	PCR
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS	PRIOR CONSULTATION REQUIRED. REQUESTED THROUGH CONSULTATION WITH EPIDEMIOLOGY ONLY (VBD.HEALTH@TN.GOV) OR 615-262-6356
ORDERING INSTRUCTIONS	TDH DLS Requisition: PH-4182 Clinicial Submission Form AND Travel history (domestic or international) to areas where RMSF is endemic must be documented on the requisition

Specimen Requirements

Patient Preparation	Submit specimens prior to treatment within 14 days of illness onset or within 48 hours of initial treatment.
Specimen Collection	At least 1 mL of venous, whole blood preserved with EDTA or Acid Citrate Dextrose Solution A (ACD-A)
Specimen Labeling	Specimen must be labeled with at least two unique patient identifiers and match accompanying PH-4182 Clinical Submission Form.
Specimen Processing	None
Specimen Storage and Preservation	Store specimens at 2 - 8°C prior to shipping.
Specimen Transportation	Ship specimes at 2 - 8°C within 48 hrs of collection. All infectious substance shipments must conform to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR 49 C.F.R. Parts 171-180).
Specimen Acceptability and Rejection	Unsatisfactory specimens include, but may not be limited to: - The specimen was broken or leaked in transit - No specimen was in the container submitted - Improper specimen type submitted - Specimens received at improper temperature Specimens received without documentation of consultation and travel history will not be tested.
Testing Location	Nashville

Laboratory Reporting

Reporting requirements apply to all laboratories located within Tennessee, as well as laboratories outside of Tennessee that test residents of Tennessee, including laboratories located within healthcare facilities. Healthcare providers and laboratories in the same healthcare facility both have a duty to report. The type of organisms and analytes laboratories must report to TDH for 2026 are indicated, and there are several ways laboratories can report results to TDH.

Manually report results to TDH by faxing or mailing a completed PH-1600 form to your local health department, or faxing to the state health office at (615) 741-3857
Automatically submit results to TDH via electronic laboratory reporting (ELR), which automates the process of sharing data with TDH using interoperability standards.
- See the ELR Onboarding Handbook for details on the onboarding process, checklist, frequently asked questions, business rules, message format, and vocabulary.
- To initiate the ELR onboarding process with TDH, register in the Trading Partner Registration (TPR) system TPR provides documentation for Promoting Interoperability (PI) attestation and milestone letters to document onboarding progress. Contact MU.Health@tn.gov for assistance.
Submit online via NBS. NBS is TDH's reportable disease system. To request an NBS account for reporting Complete this user survey to request an NBS account for reporting.
Blood lead levels can be sent via fax ( (615) 741-3857), entered online, or reported using the instructions at this link.

Information about this Reportable Disease for Healthcare Providers

Clinical Details

Common symptoms of anaplasmosis are fever, headache, and malaise. Symptoms vary.
Symptoms typically begin within 5-14 days after an infected tick bite; however, many people will not remember a bite.
Mild or moderate symptoms are most common. Severe illness can develop.
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most accurate means of confirming diagnosis early in the illness. Blood tests such as complete blood cell count, and a complete metabolic profile can support the diagnosis.

Clinical Signs & Symptoms of Anaplasmosis | CDC

Clinical Links & Info

Case Report Form | TDH

Review the case definition | CDC

Clinical Information about this disease | CDC

Epidemiology & Surveillance | CDC

Healthcare Provider Reporting

Healthcare reporting requirements apply to all providers located within Tennessee, as well as providers whose patients reside in Tennessee.

Providers must report cases of all diseases and conditions listed through one of these methods:

• Mail or fax a completed PH-1600 form to your local health department or fax to the state health office at (615) 741-3857

• Send automatically via electronic case reporting (eCR). See this TDH webpage for more information on eCR, register at the Trader Partner Registration website, or contact MU.Health@tn.gov for assistance.

• Submit online via NBS. NBS is TDH's reportable disease system. To request an NBS account for reporting Complete this user survey to request an NBS account for reporting.

• Blood lead levels can be sent via fax ( (615) 741-3857), entered online, or reported using the instructions at this link.

Information about this Reportable Disease for the Public

What It Is

Anaplasmosis is a disease caused by the bacteria A. phagocytophilum. These bacteria are spread to people by tick bites primarily from:

The blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis)
The western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus)

People with anaplasmosis will often have fever, headache, chills, and muscle aches. Doxycycline is the drug of choice for adults and children of all ages with anaplasmosis.

Types

Germs in the Acinetobacter baumannii family account for most Acinetobacter infections in humans. This type is sometimes referred to as "Acinetobacter baumannii complex."

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of anaplasmosis typically begin within 1–2 weeks after the bite of an infected tick, however many people do not remember being bitten. See your healthcare provider if you become ill after being bitten by a tick or have been in areas where ticks live. Ticks commonly live in the woods or in areas with high brush.

How it Spreads

Anaplasmosis is a tickborne disease caused by the bacteria A. phagocytophilum.

Tick Bites

A. phagocytophilum is primarily spread to people by the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the bacteria are carried by the:

Blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) in the eastern United States.

Western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) along the West Coast

Blood Transfusion

In rare cases, A. phagocytophilum has been spread by blood transfusion. Anaplasmosis is most commonly reported in the Northeastern and upper Midwestern states.

Treatment

Doxycycline is the most effective treatment of all rickettsial diseases including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis and anaplasmosis. It is the antibiotic recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and CDC for the treatment of suspected rickettsial diseases in all patients. Studies have shown that other antibiotics are less effective and patients receiving alternative antibiotics have a higher number of deaths (case fatality rate).

This Page Last Updated: March 26, 2026 at 12:33 PM