Case Study Describes Anaplasmosis Patient Who Developed Then Recovered From Myocarditis

A case study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal describes a 79-year-old man from rural eastern Ontario who developed myocarditis after an anaplasmosis infection. Newsweek reported the details of the case. The man arrived at a community hospital with fever, fatigue, chills and weakness severe enough to cause a fall.

He had an autoimmune condition, took immune-suppressing medication and regularly worked in wooded areas but could not recall a tick bite. Doctors ran a blood smear and PCR test that confirmed anaplasmosis. He completed a 14-day course of doxycycline and developed myocarditis, a complication previously linked to the disease only once in medical literature.

He was discharged after eight days and showed no symptoms with normal heart function four months later. Dr. Michael Quon, a general internal medicine specialist at The Ottawa Hospital and study co-author, said doctors need to consider anaplasmosis when treating patients with unexplained infections as tick-borne diseases become more common in Canada.

He said patients should be asked about tick exposure, contact with deer or pets, use of repellents and protective clothing, and any past Lyme disease diagnosis. Anaplasmosis is now the second most common tick-borne disease in Canada. Dr.

Ethan Kellum, a physician serving patients in Tennessee, said the black-legged tick that spreads the disease is expanding its range south. Tennessee ranks among states with the highest rates of tick-borne illness. Kellum recommended EPA-registered repellents containing DEET or picaridin, treating clothing with permethrin, wearing long sleeves and pants in wooded areas, checking the body for ticks after outdoor activity and showering soon afterward.