Ehrlichiosis
Revision as of 19:46, 5 December 2014 by Vincent Chan (talk | contribs)
Background
- Bacterial infection of the family Anaplasmataceae common in mammals such as cattle, dogs, sheep, goats, and horsesCite error: Closing
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Symptoms
- Fever, chills, headache, malaise, myalgias, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, conjunctival injection
- Up to 60% of children may have a rash (30% of adults)
Diagnosis
- Peripheral blood smear[1]
- Obligate intracellular organism
- Smear shows intracellular parasites only 20% of time
- PCR
- Most sensitive in first week of illness
- Indirect Immunoflorescence Assay'
- Gold Standard
- Negative 85% of time in first 7 days of illness
- Compare 2 samples drawn at different times
- 4 fold increase in titers of second draw is positive
- Enzyme Immunoassay
- Qualitative tests, not quantitative
- Leukopenia, elevated transaminases, thrombocytopenia often present
Treatment
- Doxycycline
- 100mg BID (Adults)
- 2.2mg/kg BID (children)