Tick-borne diseases are on the rise in the Hudson Valley, but we’re not just talking about the dreaded Lyme disease. Anaplasmosis (once called ehrlichiosis) and babesiosis are also being reported much more frequently. (There were two reported cases of babesiosis in Dutchess County in 2001; 62 in 2008.) Particularly troubling, babesiosis (sometimes referred to as the American malaria) can be fatal in people with already weakened immune systems. Caused by bites from deer ticks — the same bugs that transmit Lyme disease — babesiosis does not leave a telltale ring on the skin.
Tick-borne Diseases: Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis
Now that summer’s in full swing, learn the difference between three of the most common tick-borne diseases — and how to treat them
