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Volume 8, Number 3—March 2002

Dispatch

Severe Ehrlichia chaffeensis Infection in a Lung Transplant Recipient: A Review of Ehrlichiosis in the Immunocompromised Patient

Nasia Safdar, Robert B. Love, and Dennis G. Maki
Author affiliations: University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, Wisconsin, USA;

Main Article

Table

Reports of immunocompromised patients with Ehrlichia infection

Immunocompromised state Age Form of ehrlichiosis Clinical features Outcome Reference
Rheumatoid arthritis, on methotrexate 49 Ehrlichia ewingii Fever, headache Survived 5
Emphysema, on prednisone 65 E. ewingii Fever, headache Survived 5
Renal transplant 11 E. ewingii Lyphadenopathy, fever Survived 5
Liver transplant 47 HMEa Multiorgan failure Survived 9
Leukemia 6 HME Hepatitis, pancytopenia, rash, renal failure Survived 10
Asplenia 71 HGE Fever, neurologic dysfunction Survived 11
Asplenia 30 HGE Rash, fever Survived 11
HIV infection (CD4 45/mm3) 33 HME Cardiomyopathy, heart failure Survived 12
Renal transplant 35 HME Rash, pancytopenia, renal failure Survived 13
HIV infection (CD4 NS) 38 HME Multiorgan failure Died 14
Sickle beta-thalassemia NS HME Respiratory failure Survived 15
Renal transplant NS HME NS Survived 15
HIV infection (CD4 164/mm3) 52 HME Hepatitis, thrombocytopenia Died 16
Renal transplant 67 HGE Pancytopenia, renal failure, hepatitis Survived 17
HIV infection CD4 (18/mm3) 36 HME Hepatitis, renal failure Died 18
Liver transplant 51 HME Pancytopenia, shock Survived 19
Asplenia, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, on steroids 80 HGE Multiorgan failure Died 7
HIV infection (CD4 199/mm3) 37 HME fever, pancytopenia, toxic-shock-like illness Survived 20
Splenectomy 46 HME Pancreatitis, shock, encephalitis Survived 20
HIV infection (CD4 64/mm3) 41 HME Pancytopenia, pulmonary hemorrhage Died 21
Asplenia 67 E. canis Renal failure respiratory failure, encephalitis Died 8
Crohn disease requiring prednisone 57 E. canis Pancytopenia, hepatitis Survived 22
Bilateral lung transplant 38 HME Pancytopenia, renal failure, TTP-like illness Survived Current case

aHME = human monocytic ehrlichiosis; HGE = human granulocytic ehrlichiosis; NS = not specified

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