Ehrlichiosis

Ehrlichiosis
Classification and external resources
ICD-9-CM	082.4
MedlinePlus	001381
eMedicine	article/235839
Patient UK	Ehrlichiosis
MeSH	D016873
[]

Ehrlichiosis is a tickborne bacterial infection, caused by bacteria of the family Anaplasmataceae, genera Ehrlichia and Anaplasma. These obligate intracellular bacteria infect and kill white blood cells.

The average reported annual incidence is on the order of 2.3 cases per million people.

Five (see note below) species have been shown to cause human infection:

The latter two infections are not well studied. In 2006, human infection by Boone County, Missouri. Symptoms: high fever,severe joint and muscle aches, vomiting. Onset of symptoms began exactly 14 days after bite occurred. Symptoms affected patient on a 12-hour cycle; beginning early evening, ending early morning. No symptoms occurred for next 12 hours. CBC presented low WBC. Note: In 2008, human infection by Panola Mountain (Georgia, USA) Ehrlichia species was reported. On August 3, 2011, infection by a yet-unnamed bacterium in the genus Ehrlichia carried by deer ticks that has caused flu-like symptoms in at least 25 people in Minnesota and Wisconsin was reported; human ehrlichiosis was thought to be very rare or absent in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The new species, which is very similar genetically to an Ehrlichia species found in Eastern Europe and Japan called E. muris, was identified at Mayo Clinic Health System's Eau Claire hospital.

Ehrlichia are transported between cells through the host cell filopodia during initial stages of infection, whereas, in the final stages of infection the pathogen ruptures the host cell membrane.

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