Ehrlichia

Ehrlichia
Ehrlichia ewingii
Scientific classification
Domain:
Bacteria
Phylum:
Pseudomonadota
Class:
Alphaproteobacteria
Order:
Rickettsiales
Family:
Ehrlichiaceae[1]
Genus:
Ehrlichia
Species:
See text.
Synonyms
  • Cowdria Moshkovski 1947 (Approved Lists 1980)

Ehrlichia is a genus of Rickettsiales bacteria that are transmitted to vertebrates by ticks. These bacteria cause the disease ehrlichiosis, which is considered zoonotic, because the main reservoirs for the disease are animals.

Ehrlichia species are obligately intracellular pathogens and are transported between cells through the host cell filopodia during initial stages of infection, whereas in the final stages of infection, the pathogen ruptures the host cell membrane.[2]

  1. ^ Euzéby JP, Parte AC. "Ehrlichia". List of Prokaryotic names with Standing in Nomenclature (LPSN). Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  2. ^ Thomas, S; Popov, VL; Walker, DH (2010). "Exit Mechanisms of the Intracellular Bacterium Ehrlichia". PLOS ONE. 5 (12): e15775. Bibcode:2010PLoSO...515775T. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0015775. PMC 3004962. PMID 21187937.