Fatal human monocytic ehrlichiosis
By Linda on Feb 24, 2011 in Infections
Excerpt:
Human ehrlichiosis is the term for a collection of tick-borne diseases
caused primarily by obligate intracellular bacteria of the Ehrlichia
species.
Ehrlichiosis is characterized by a mild to severe illness, with
approximately 3-5% of cases proving fatal despite receiving appropriate
care. This report presents the case of a 60 year-old woman who was found
collapsed and unresponsive in her home after an indeterminate time; possibly
for up to 48 h.
Despite rigorous resuscitative care and antibiotic treatment, the patient
lapsed into multi-organ failure and died. Subsequent analysis by microscopic
examination, PCR and immunohistochemistry revealed the patient died from an
infection of Ehrlichia chaffeensis. Clinicians and pathologists must be
aware of this emergent disease in order to make a timely and appropriate
diagnosis.
Discussion of the patient’s clinical, laboratory and autopsy findings as
well as treatment of Ehrlichia chaffeensis infections is presented.
