1887

Abstract

The Ehrlichieae are gram-negative obligately intracellular bacterial pathogens. They can be divided into at least three genogroups on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, but are also classified by target cell specificity. A group of granulocytic ehrlichiae primarily infect neutrophils and fall into genogroup II. The granulocytic ehrlichiae are subdivided by their target hosts, i.e., in cattle and sheep, in horses, and the agents of human (HGE) and Ilama (LGE) granulocytic ehrlichioses. However, these subdivisions may give a false impression, as all these species are closely related both antigenically and on the basis of 16S rRNA operon sequence. In addition, cross-species transmission can occur naturally or by experimental infection. The vectors for these granulocytic ehrlichiae are hard-bodied ixodid ticks, and the reservoir hosts are probably wild rodents, deer and sheep. In each host, this illness presents as a febrile disease which can be followed by immunosuppression leading to secondary infections.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-47-6-475
1998-06-01
2024-12-02
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/jmm/47/6/medmicro-47-6-475.html?itemId=/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-47-6-475&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Walker D. H., Dumler J. S. Emergence of the ehrlichioses in human health problems. Emerg Infect Dis 199618–29
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Anderson B. E., Dawson J. E., Jones D. C., Wilson K. H. Ehrlichia chaffeensis, a new species associated with human ehrlichiosis. J Clin Microbiol 1991; 19:2838–2842
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Chen S.-M., Dumler J. S., Bakken J. S., Walker D. H. Identification of a granulocytotrophic Ehrlichia species as the etiologic agent of human disease. J Clin Microbiol 1994; 32:589–595
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Anderson B. E., Greene C. E., Jones D. A., Dawson J. E. Ehrlichia ewingii sp. Nov., the etiologic agent of canine granulocytic ehrlichiosis. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1992; 42:299–302
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Wen B., Rikihisa Y., Mott J., Fuerst P. A., Kawahara M., Suto C. Ehrlichia muris sp. Nov. identified on the basis of 16S rRNA base sequences and serological, morphological and biological characteristics. Int J Syst Bacteriol 1995; 45:250–254
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Barlough J. E., Madigan J. E., Turoff D. R., Clover J. R., Shelley J. M., Dumler J. S. An Ehrlichia strain from a llama (Llama glama) and llama-associated ticks (Ixodes pacificus). J Clin Microbiol 1997; 35:1005–1007
    [Google Scholar]
  7. MacLeod J., Gordon W. S. Studies in tick-bome fever in sheep. I. Transmission by the tick Ixodes ricinus, with a description of the disease produced. Parasitology 1933; 25:273–283
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Hudson J. R. The recognition of tick-bome fever as a disease of cattle. Br Vet J 1950; 106:3–17
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Korbutiak E., Schneiders D. H. First confirmed case of equine ehrlichiosis in Great Britain. Equine Vet Educ 1994; 6:303–304
    [Google Scholar]
  10. Clark A. M., Hopkins G. F., MacLean I. A. Tick-bome fever in dogs. Vet Rec 1996; 139:268
    [Google Scholar]
  11. McDiarmid A. Modem trends in animal health and husbandry. Some infectious diseases of free-living wildlife. Br Vet J 1965; 121:245–257
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Gribble D. H. Equine ehrlichiosis. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1969; 155:462–469
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Lewis G. E., Huxsoll D. L., Ristic M., Johnson A. J. Experimentally induced infection of dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates with Ehrlichia equi, etiologic agent of equine ehrlichiosis. Am J Vet Res 1975; 36:85–88
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Johansson K.-E., Pettersson B., Uhlen M., Gunnarsson A., Malmqvist M., Olsson E. Identification of the causative agent of granulocytic ehrlichiosis in Swedish dogs and horses by direct solid phase sequencing of PCR products from the 16S rRNA gene. Res Vet Sci 1995; 58:109–112
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Richter P. J., Kimsey R. B., Madigan J. E., Barlough J. E., Dumler J. S., Brooks D. L. Ixodes pacificus (Acari: Ixodidae) as a vector of Ehrlichia equi (Rickettsiales: Ehrlichieae). J Med Entomol 1996; 33:1–5
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Artursson K., Malmquist M., Olsson E., Bjӧersdorff A., Eklund M., Gunnarsson A. Diagnositik av borrelios och granulocytar ehrlichios hos hast, hund och katt i Sveridge. Svensk Vet Tidn 1994; 46:331–336
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Tyzzer E. E. Cytoecetes microti N-G., N.S.P., : a parasite developing in granulocytes and infective for small rodents. Parasitology 1938; 30:242–257
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Telford S. R., Dawson J. E., Katavolos P., Warner C. K., Kolbert C. P., Persing D. H. Perpetuation of the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in a deer tick-rodent cycle. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1996; 93:6209–6214
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Belongia E. A., Reed K. D., Mitchell P. D. Prevalence of granulocytic Ehrlichia infection among white-tailed deer in Wisconsin. J Clin Microbiol 1997; 35:1465–1468
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Dumler J. S. Is human granulocytic ehrlichiosis a new Lyme disease? Review and comparison of clinical, laboratory, epidemiological, and some biological features. Clin Infect Dis 1997; 25: Suppl 1S43–S47
    [Google Scholar]
  21. von Stedingk L. V., Gürtelschmid M., Hanson H. S. The human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) agent in Swedish ticks. Clin Microbiol Infect 1998 (in press)
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Gordon W. S., Brownlee A., Wilson D. R., MacLeod J. “Tick-bome fever”. (A hitherto undescribed disease of sheep). J Comp Pathol 1932; 45:301–312
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Engvall E. O., Pettersson B., Persson M., Artursson K., Johansson K.-E. A 16S rRNA-based assay for detection and identification of granulocytic Ehrlichia species in dogs, horses and cattle. J Clin Microbiol 1996; 34:2170–2174
    [Google Scholar]
  24. Petrovec M., Furlan S. L., Zupanc T. A. Human disease in Europe caused by a granulocytic Ehrlichia species. J Clin Microbiol 1997; 35:1556–1559
    [Google Scholar]
  25. Sumner J. W., Nicholson W. L., Massung R. F. PCR amplification and comparison of nucleotide sequences from the groESL heat shock operon of Ehrlichia species. J Clin Microbiol 1997; 35:2087–2092
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Barlough J. E., Madigan J. E., DeRock E., Dumler J. S., Bakken J. S. Protection against Ehrlichia equi is conferred by prior infection with the human granulocytotropic ehrlichia (HGE agent). J Clin Microbiol 1995; 33:3333–3334
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Dumler J. S., Asanovich K. M., Bakken J. S., Richter P., Kimsey R., Madigan J. E. Serological cross-reactions among Ehrlichia equi, Ehrlichia phagocytophila and human granulocytic ehrlichia. J Clin Microbiol 1995; 33:1098–1103
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Bakken J. S., Krueth J., Wilson-Nordskog J., Tilden R. L., Asanovich K., Dumler J. S. Clinical and laboratory characteristics of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis. JAMA 1996; 275:199–205
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Foggie A. Studies on the infectious agent of tick-bome fever in sheep. J Pathol Bacteriol 1951; 63:1–15
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Tuomi J. Experimental studies on bovine tick-bome fever. (3) Immunological strain differences. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand 1967; 71:89–100
    [Google Scholar]
  31. Asanovich K. M., Bakken J. S., Madigan J. E., Aguero-Rosenfeld M., Wormser G. P., Dumler J. S. Antigenic diversity of granulocytic Ehrlichia isolates from humans in Wisconsin and New York and a horse in California. J Infect Dis 1997; 176:1029–1034
    [Google Scholar]
  32. Sonenshine D. E. Ecology of non-nidicolous ticks. In Biology of ticks vol 2 New York: Oxford University Press; 19933–65
    [Google Scholar]
  33. MacLeod J. Studies on tick-bome fever in sheep. II. Experiments on transmission and distribution of the disease. Parasitology 1936; 28:320–329
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Smith R. D., Sells D. M., Stephenson E. H., Ristic M. R., Huxsoll D. L. Development of Ehrlichia canis, causitive agent of canine ehrlichiosis, in the tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus and its differentiation from symbiotic Rickettsia. Am J Vet Res 1976; 37:119–126
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Gray J. S. The development and seasonal activity of the tick Ixodes ricinus: a vector of Lyme borreliosis. Rev Med Vet Entomol 1991; 79:323–333
    [Google Scholar]
  36. Tuomi J. Experimental studies on tick-bome fever. (1). Clinical and haematological data, some properties of the causative agent and homologous immunity. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand 1967; 70:429–445
    [Google Scholar]
  37. Ogden N. H., Nuttall P. A., Randolph S. E. Natural Lyme disease cycles maintained via sheep by co-feeding ticks. Parasitology 1997; 115:591–599
    [Google Scholar]
  38. Jones G. L., Davies I. H. An ovine abortion storm caused by infection with Cytoecetes phagocytophila. Vet Rec 1995; 136:127
    [Google Scholar]
  39. Goodman J. L., Nelson C., Vitale B. Direct cultivation of the causative agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis. N Engl J Med 1996; 334:209–215
    [Google Scholar]
  40. Popov V. L., Han V. C., Chen S.-M. Ultrastructural differentiation of serogroups in the genus Ehrlichia. J Med Microbiol 1998; 47:235–251
    [Google Scholar]
  41. Munderloh U. G., Madigan J. E., Dumler J. S. Isolation of the equine granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent, Ehrlichia equi, in tick cell culture. J Clin Microbiol 1996; 34:664–670
    [Google Scholar]
  42. Snodgrass D. R. Studies on bovine petechial fever and ovine tick-borne fever. PhD Thesis University of Edinburgh; 1974
    [Google Scholar]
  43. Woldehiwet Z. Observations on the immune responses of sheep infected with Cytoecetes phagocytophila. PhD Thesis University of Edinburgh; 1981
    [Google Scholar]
  44. Woldehiwet Z., Scott G. R. Corticosteroid therapy of tick-bome fever. Vet Rec 1982; 110:151–152
    [Google Scholar]
  45. Munro R., Hunter A. R., MacKenzie G., McMartin D. A. Pulmonary lesions in sheep following experimental infection by Ehrlichia phagocytophila and Chlamydia psittaci. J Comp Pathol 1982; 92:117–129
    [Google Scholar]
  46. Woldehiwet Z., Scott G. R. Stages in the development of Cytoecetes phagocytophila, the causative agent of tick-bome fever. J Comp Pathol 1982; 92:469–474
    [Google Scholar]
  47. Foggie A. Studies on tick pyaemia and tick-bome fever. Symp Zool Soc Lond 1962; 6:51–58
    [Google Scholar]
  48. Woldehiwet Z. Depression of lymphocyte response to mitogens in sheep infected with tick-bome fever. J Comp Pathol 1987; 97:637–643
    [Google Scholar]
  49. Woldehiwet Z. The effects of tick-bome fever on some functions of polymorphonuclear cells of sheep. J Comp Pathol 1987; 97:481–485
    [Google Scholar]
  50. Foster W. N. M., Cameron A. E. Observations on the functional integrity of neutrophil leukocytes infected with tick-bome fever. J Comp Pathol 1970; 80:487–491
    [Google Scholar]
  51. Madigan J. E. Equine ehrlichiosis. In Woldehiwet Z., Ristic M. (eds) Rickettsial and chlamydial diseases of domestic animals Oxford: Pergamon Press; 1993209–214
    [Google Scholar]
  52. Foster W. N. M., Cameron A. E. Thrombocytopenia in sheep associated with experimental tick-bome fever infection. J Comp Pathol 1968; 78:251–254
    [Google Scholar]
  53. Tuomi J. Studies in epidemiology of bovine tick-bome fever in Finland and clinical description of field cases. Ann Med Exp Biol Fenn 1966; 44: Suppl 61–62
    [Google Scholar]
  54. Woldehiwet Z., Scott G. R. Tick-bome (pasture) fever. In Woldehiwet Z., Ristic M. (eds) Rickettsial and chlamydial diseases of domestic animals Oxford: Pergamon Press; 1993233–254
    [Google Scholar]
  55. Stamp J. T., Watt J. A. Tick-bome fever as a cause of abortion in sheep-part 1. Vet Rec 1950; 62:465–468
    [Google Scholar]
  56. Wilson J. C., Foggie A., Carmichael M. A. Tick-bome fever as a cause of abortion and stillbirths in cattle. Vet Rec 1964; 76:1081–1084
    [Google Scholar]
  57. Watson W. A. Infertility in the ram associated with tick-bome fever. Vet Rec 1964; 76:1131–1136
    [Google Scholar]
  58. Brodie T. A., Holmes P. H., Urquahart G. M. Some aspects of tick-bome infection of British sheep. Vet Rec 1986; 118:415–418
    [Google Scholar]
  59. Dumler J. S., Dotevall L., Gustafson R., Granstrӧm M. A population-based seroepidemiologic study of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis and Lyme borreliosis on the west coast of Sweden. J Infect Dis 1997; 175:720–722
    [Google Scholar]
  60. Mitchell P. D., Reed K. D., Hofkes J. M. Immunoserologic evidence of coinfection with Borrelia burgdorferi, Babesia microti, and Human Granulocytic Ehrlichia species in residents of Wisconsin and Minnesota. J Clin Microbiol 1996; 34:724–727
    [Google Scholar]
  61. Madigan J. E., Hietala S., Chalmers S., DeRock E. Seroepidemiologic survey of antibodies to Ehrlichia equi in horses in northern California. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1990; 196:1962–1964
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-47-6-475
Loading
/content/journal/jmm/10.1099/00222615-47-6-475
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error