Surveillance of tick-borne emerging infections in New York State

From 2002-2005, the Long Island and Hudson Valley regions of NYS have experienced a 76% increase in the number of reported cases of babesiosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and human monocytic ehrlichiosis. The increased frequency and distribution of these three tick-borne infections in NYS represents a serious threat to public health due to the clinical severity in which they manifest, including the possibility of death, if undiagnosed or untreated. Furthermore, the geographic spread of Babesia, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia infection appears to be following a similar pattern in NYS that Lyme disease has in recent years, consequently placing an additional burden on local health departments (LHDs) affected by the increase in all four of these tick-borne infections. Two tick species responsible for the transmission of these pathogens are found throughout NYS, thus the area at risk for potential human exposure to tick-borne pathogens appears to be increasing in several areas of NYS.

In response to this public health challenge, the NYSDOH includes these emerging tick-borne infections in the department's infectious disease surveillance system and works in concert with the LHDs to capture epidemiologic data on all potential cases. The NYSDOH also assists LHDs in the newly identified areas with the implementation of public education and prevention campaigns designed to increase public and medical awareness and reduce tick exposure among the population.