Ehrlichiosis overview
|
Ehrlichiosis Microchapters |
|
Diagnosis |
|---|
|
Treatment |
|
Case Studies |
|
Ehrlichiosis overview On the Web |
|
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Ehrlichiosis overview |
Please help WikiDoc by adding content here. It's easy! Click here to learn about editing.
Overview
Ehrlichiosis is a tickborne[1] bacterial infection,[2] caused by bacteria of the family Anaplasmataceae, genera Ehrlichia and Anaplasma. These obligate intracellular bacteria infect and kill the white blood cells. Ehrlichiae are transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected tick. Usually, symptoms occur within 1-2 weeks following a tick bite. [3]
Historical Perspective
Ehrlichiosis was first observed in the 19th century by the German microbiologist, Paul Ehrlich. Originally it was classified under the genus Rickettsia, however further observation led to a reclassification of the bacteria as a separate genus, Ehrlichia. The first Ehrlichia based infection was reported in South Africa in 1900. In the 1980's, Ehrlichiosis was recognized as a disease present in the United States. By 1999, Ehrlichia became a disease reportable to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Classification
Three strains of Ehrlichia (E. ewingii, E. chaffeensis, and E. Muris) are responsible for human infection. These resulting infections present themselves with very similar, if not the same, clinical manifestations. Endemic regions are different among the different diseases which may be used to diagnose the organism of infection.[4]
Pathophysiology
Causes
Differentiating Ehrlichiosis from other Diseases
Epidemiology and Demographics
Risk Factors
The primary risk factors associated with Ehrlichiosis are exposure to endemic environment and the time of that exposure. Lone Star ticks have been identified as the primary vector of E. ewingii and E. chaffeensis infections, thus being bitten in an endemic area may result in the contraction of the disease. (The primary vector of E. muris has not yet been verified.)[4]
Natural History, Complications and Prognosis
References
- ↑ CDC "Questions and Answers" page for tickborne rickettsial diseases
- ↑ Dawson, Jacqueline E., Marty, Aileen M. (1997). "Ehrlichiosis". In Horsburgh CR, Nelson AM. Pathology of emerging Infections. 1. American Society for Microbiology.
- ↑ CDC Ehrlichiosis main information page
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ehrlichiosis Symptoms. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015). http://www.cdc.gov/ehrlichiosis/symptoms/index.html Accessed on December 30, 2015