Dual infection with Ehrlichia chaffeensis and a spotted fever group Rickettsia: A case report

Daniel J. Sexton, G. Ralph Corey, Christopher Carpenter, Li Quo Kong, Tejel Gandhi, Edward Breitschwerdt, Barbara Hegarty, Sheng Ming Chen, Hui Min Feng, Xue Jie Yu, Juan Olano, David H. Walker, Stephen J. Dumler

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

Well-documented cases of simultaneous human infection with more than one tick-borne pathogen are rare. To our knowledge only two dual infections have been reported: simultaneous human infection with the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis and Borrelia burgdorferi and simultaneous human infection with B. burgdorferi and Babesia microti (1-2). Rocky Mountain spotted fever has long been known to be endemic in North Carolina; cases of human ehrlichial infection were recognized there soon after Ehrlichia chaffeensis was recognized as an important cause of tick-borne disease in the southeastern United States. Because both Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis are prevalent in North Carolina, occasional cases of simultaneous human infection by rickettsial and ehrlichial agents would not be surprising; however, no such cases seem to have been reported.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)311-316
Number of pages6
JournalEmerging infectious diseases
Volume4
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1998

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology
  • Microbiology (medical)
  • Infectious Diseases

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