Ehrlichia chaffeensis

Ehrlichia chaffeensis
Scientific classification
Domain:
Bacteria
Phylum:
Pseudomonadota
Class:
Alphaproteobacteria
Order:
Rickettsiales
Family:
Ehrlichiaceae
Genus:
Ehrlichia
Species:
E. chaffeensis

Ehrlichia chaffeensis is an obligate intracellular,[1] Gram-negative species of Rickettsiales bacteria.[2] It is a zoonotic pathogen transmitted to humans by the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum).[3] It is the causative agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis.[4]

Human monocytic ehrlichiosis caused by E. chaffeensis is known to spread through tick infection primarily in the Southern, South-central and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.[5] In recent years, the lone star tick has expanded its range along the East Coast to New England, putting more humans at risk for tick-borne infections.[6]

It is named for Fort Chaffee, where the bacterium was first discovered in blood samples of infected patients.[2]

  1. ^ Ganguly, S (2008). "Tick-borne ehrlichiosis infection in human beings" (PDF). Journal of Vector Borne Diseases. 45 (4): 273–280. PMID 19248653.
  2. ^ a b Ehrlichia+chaffeensis at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
  3. ^ Allan, B. F. (2012). "Blood meal analysis to identify reservoir hosts for amblyomma americanum ticks". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 16 (3): 433–440. doi:10.3201/eid1603.090911. PMC 3322017. PMID 20202418.
  4. ^ Schutze GE, Buckingham SC, Marshall GS, et al. (June 2007). "Human monocytic ehrlichiosis in children". Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 26 (6): 475–9. doi:10.1097/INF.0b013e318042b66c. PMID 17529862.
  5. ^ Barker, R. W. (2000). "Naturally occurring ehrlichia chaffeensis infection in coyotes from oklahoma". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 6 (5): 477–80. doi:10.3201/eid0605.000505. PMC 2627953. PMID 10998377.
  6. ^ Little, S. E. (2007, January). New developments in managing vector-borne diseases. Retrieved from http://www.iknowledgenow.com/tocnavc2007smallanimal.cfm