Tissue diagnosis of Ehrlichia chaffeensis in patients with fatal ehrlichiosis by use of immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and polymerase chain reaction.

摘要: In the United States, human ehrlichiosis is a complex of emerging tick-borne diseases caused by 3 distinct Ehrlichia species: chaffeensis, ewingii, and granulocytotropic agent. Ehrlichioses are characterized mild to severe illness, approximately 4% cases fatal. Because these obligate intracellular bacteria difficult resolve with routine histologic techniques, their distribution in tissues has not been well described. To facilitate visualization detection ehrlichiae, immunohistochemistry (IHC), situ hybridization (ISH), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were developed use from 4 fatal E. chaffeensis infection. Evidence via IHC, ISH, PCR was documented all cases. Abundant immunostaining nucleic acid observed spleen lymph node patients. Significantly, 2 patients, serologic evidence infection absent. Use visualize detect can diagnosis ehrlichial infections.