Move over Lyme disease: There's a new tick-borne illness to worry about

A new tick-borne illness, anaplasmosis, is expanding across North America and is increasingly viewed as a serious health threat alongside Lyme disease. Doctors say the bacteria carried by the black-legged tick is moving into new areas, with Tennessee cited as a state that has among the highest rates of tick-borne illness in the U.S. In Canada, anaplasmosis is described as the second most common tick-borne disease, and a case study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal reports complications including myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle. The report involves a 79-year-old man from rural eastern Ontario who tested positive after fever and other symptoms, received a 14-day doxycycline course, was discharged after eight days, and showed normal heart function four months later. Physicians said early treatment improves outcomes, even when complications occur.