Severe ehrlichia infection in pediatric oncology

Full article: http://eutils.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&id=20052776&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks
PMID: 20052776

Excerpt:

Ehrlichiosis, a tickborne illness transmitted by tick vectors Amblyomma
americanum and Ixodes scapularis, can be acquired in endemic areas. Clinical
manifestations range from asymptomatic to fulminant in nature. We report three
cases of ehrlichiosis in pediatric oncology patients, one of whom was a stem
cell transplant recipient. Early symptoms included fever, malaise, and vague
gastrointestinal symptoms. Laboratory abnormalities were initially attributed to
chemotherapy toxicity. Illness was severe in all three patients and one patient
died even after initiation of doxycycline.