Epidemiology and control of human granulocytic anaplasmosis: a systematic review

Abstract

Granulocytic anaplasmosis caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an emerging tick-borne zoonosis worldwide. The obligate intracellular pathogen is transmitted by Ixodes ticks and infects neutrophils in humans and animals, resulting in clinical symptoms ranging from asymptomatic seroconversion to mild, severe, or fatal disease. Since the initial description of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) in the United States in 1990, HGA has been increasingly recognized in America, Europe, and Asia. This review describes the epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of HGA and provides background information on the potential vectors and reservoirs of A. phagocytophilum.