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Ehrlichia chaffeensis in a renal transplant recipient.
R Sadikot1, M J Shaver, W B Reeves
1University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA.
American Journal of Nephrology
|December 11, 1999
Summary
Human ehrlichiosis, a tick-borne illness, is rarely seen in immunocompromised individuals. This case highlights ehrlichiosis in a renal transplant recipient, diagnosed rapidly by PCR.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Ehrlichiosis is an emerging tick-borne febrile illness, infrequently reported in immunosuppressed patients.
- Immunosuppression can alter the host's immune response to infections, potentially affecting disease presentation and diagnosis.
Observation:
- A case of human ehrlichiosis is presented in a patient who received a cadaveric renal transplant.
- The patient presented with an acute febrile illness, a common symptom of ehrlichiosis.
Findings:
- Diagnosis was initially confirmed by a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Ehrlichia chaffeensis.
- Antibody titers for E. chaffeensis seroconversion became positive several weeks post-diagnosis.
- The patient demonstrated a prompt clinical response to doxycycline treatment.
Implications:
- Ehrlichiosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile illnesses in transplant recipients.
- Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) offers a rapid diagnostic method for ehrlichiosis, especially when antibody responses may be impaired.
- Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for managing ehrlichiosis in immunocompromised hosts, such as organ transplant recipients.