Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis

Infobox_Disease
Name = PAGENAME


Caption =
DiseasesDB = 31663
ICD10 = ICD10|A|79|8|a|75
ICD9 = ICD9|083.8
ICDO =
OMIM =
MedlinePlus = 001381
eMedicineSubj = med
eMedicineTopic = 3391
eMedicine_mult = eMedicine2|ped|655 eMedicine2|emerg|159 | MeshID = D016873

Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) (also called Human granulocytic anaplasmosis, or HGA [cite journal |author=Malik A, Jameel M, Ali S, Mir S |title=Human granulocytic anaplasmosis affecting the myocardium |journal=J Gen Intern Med |volume=20 |issue=10 |pages=958 |year=2005 |pmid=16191146 |doi=10.1111/j.1525-1497.2005.00218.x] [ [http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/anaplasmosis/basics.html Human Anaplasmosis Basics - Minnesota Dept. of Health ] ] ) is an infectious disease caused by several types of bacteria that are typically transmitted to humans by "Ixodes scapularis", also known as the deer tick or black-legged tick. This is the same tick that can transmit Lyme disease and Babesiosis.

ymptoms

Symptoms may include fever, severe headache, muscle aches, chills and shaking, similar to the symptoms of influenza.

The condition causes symptoms of fever, headache, and myalgia, with GI symptoms occurring in less than half of the patients and a skin rash in less than 10% of patients. It is also characterized by thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and elevated serum transaminase levels in the majority of infected patients. The causative bacterium is transmitted to humans via ticks. [Murray, Patrick R.; Rosenthal, Ken S.; Pfaller, Michael A. "Medical Microbiology, Fifth Edition". United States: Elsevier Mosby, 2005]

HGE is clinically indistinguishable from infection caused by "Ehrlichia chaffeensis", but molecular techniques can distinguish these incidents from HGE .

Treatment

Early treatment with antibiotics is often successful.

Doxycycline and rifampin have been used.cite journal |author=Krause PJ, Corrow CL, Bakken JS |title=Successful treatment of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in children using rifampin |journal=Pediatrics |volume=112 |issue=3 Pt 1 |pages=e252–3 |year=2003 |month=September |pmid=12949322 |doi= |url=http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=12949322]

Presentation during early pregnancy can complicate treatment.cite journal |author=Muffly T, McCormick TC, Cook C, Wall J |title=Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis complicating early pregnancy |journal=Infect Dis Obstet Gynecol |volume=2008 |issue= |pages=359172 |year=2008 |pmid=18509484 |pmc=2396214 |doi=10.1155/2008/359172 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2008/359172]

Terminology

HGE can be caused by several infectious agents, including "Anaplasma phagocytophilum" cite journal |author=Olano J, Hogrefe W, Seaton B, Walker D |title=Clinical manifestations, epidemiology, and laboratory diagnosis of human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis in a commercial laboratory setting |journal=Clin Diagn Lab Immunol |volume=10 |issue=5 |pages=891–6 |year=2003 |pmid=12965923 |doi=10.1128/CDLI.10.5.891-896.2003] (formerly known as "Ehrlichia phagocytophila"), "Ehrlichia equi", and "Ehrlichia ewingii" ] .

When the agent is known to be from the Anaplasma genus, the term "human granulocytic anaplasmosis" (HGA) is often used. However, the ehrlichioses have similar presentations, and the genus and species are not always known. The genus Anaplasma and the genus Ehrlichia are both in the family Ehrlichiaceae, and HGE can be used to avoid the ambiguity.

ee also

* Ehrlichiosis (canine)
* Anaplasmosis
* [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EiD/vol11no12/05-0898.htm CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases] for more information about HGE

References