Chemical methods can also be used, including sanitizing surgical equipment after each use. Tetracycline drugs are the most common treatment for anaplasmosis, and can provide the animal with immunity for a period of time. The disease is more common in the South and West parts of the United States, but is no longer considered a major problem since the use of tetracycline drugs. Transmission
Mechanical and biological vector transmission work in different ways but both lead to infection of the red blood cells. Mechanical transmission happens in two ways, one when red blood cells are inoculated with the blood parasite through surgical equipment including needles, dehorners, ear taggers, castrating knives, and tattoo instruments. Another mechanical transmission mode is through the mouthparts of biting flies who carry an Anaplasma species of blood parasite.Biological vector transmission is through ticks that carry a blood parasite able to cause anaplasmosis. The most common Anaplasmosis-causing tick is Ixodes scapularis, also known as the black-legged tick or the deer tick. Ticks who contain species of many different Anaplasma species can transmit this disease through a bite. The blood parasite survives and can multiply in the tick, and can sit dormant for months without being transmitted to an animal. When bitten by a tick carrying a blood parasite, the blood parasite can then enter the new host and cause infection.Once infected with a species of Anaplasma, the parasite multiplies in the blood stream and attaches to red blood cells.
Anaplasma marginale is found worldwide and is transmitted by Rhipicephalus ticks. Anaplasma phagocytophilum is also found worldwide, mainly transmitted by Ixodes ticks. Other species that cause anaplasmosis in specific species include:

Cattle:
Anaplasma centrale - found mainly in South America, Africa and the Middle East
Sheep and goats:
Anaplasma ovis - found worldwide. There is a prevalence of 82.9% in sheep, and 74.9% in goats. This species is the most prevalent for causing anaplasmosis in sheep and goats, although Anaplasma phagocytophilium can also cause the disease. Anaplasma phagocytophilium has a prevalence of 11.9% in sheep, and 15.2% in goats. Morphology
There are many strains of Anaplasma marginale, all with differing morphology, antigenic properties, protein sequence, and ability to be transmitted by ticks. Major surface proteins (MSP) have been found to play a major role in the infection by Anaplasma marginale. Out of the six MSP found on this species, three of the major surface proteins do not seem to differ between all strains, those including MSP1a, MSP4, and MSP5. The msp1a gene, which codes for MSP1a, is used as a marker for the identification of Anaplasma marginale because it has shown to be conserved in the multiplication of rickettsia in cattle and ticks and has been shown to be involved in adhesion to bovine erythrocytes and tick cells.Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a gram-negative bacterium that does not have lipopolysaccharides or peptidoglycan. The outer membrane does not have a capsule, and is coarse with irregular periplasmic spaces.