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In the case of tick-borne diseases, for example, Beard noted that the geographic ranges have already expanded in recent years for ticks that spread Lyme, anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and spotted fever rickettsiosis.

The virus isn’t threatening to overwhelm communities and hospitals but the risk is increasing and scientists are seeing similar trends with other insect-borne illnesses like malaria, Lyme disease and anaplasmosis.

Across the country, anaplasmosis is the second most common disease spread by ticks, Shaw said.

New England and the Upper Midwest have seen the lion’s share of increase in tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease, anaplasmosis and babesiosis.

The first local human case of anaplasmosis, a tick-borne disease, was reported this month in Washington state.