Ehrlicia on man:human granulocytic ehrlicjiosis

Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis

Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) (also called Human granulocytic anaplasmosis, or HGA^[1][2] ) 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.

Symptoms

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.^[3]

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.^[4]

Presentation during early pregnancy can complicate treatment.^[5]

Terminology

HGE can be caused by several infectious agents, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum ^[6] (formerly known as Ehrlichia phagocytophila), Ehrlichia equi, and Ehrlichia ewingii ^[6].

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.

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