Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0012739 (disseminated intravascular coagulation)
 8,673 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Human ehrlichiosis is a newly recognized tick-borne disease. Since 1935 Ehrlichia canis has been known as a cause of illness in dogs and other canine species, and for a few years it was related with human disease. In 1990, Ehrlichia chaffeensis was isolated from a man suspected of having ehrlichiosis. Partial sequencing of the rRNAS from the human isolate and E. canis, indicated that they are 98.7% related. More recently (May 1994) an "human granulocytic ehrlichiosis" have been reported in USA. PCR amplification and sequence of 16S rDNA, showed that the human isolate was virtually identical to those reported for E. phagocytophila y E. equi, organisms that cause ehrlichiosis in rumiant and in horses. Most patients shows fever, headache, malaise, nausea or vomiting, anorexia and in a minority of cases rash is present. Some of them have complications such as pulmonary infiltrates, gastrointestinal problems, renal dysfunction or failure, hepatoesplenomegaly, neurologic abnormalities, DIC and some times death. Leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and elevated liver enzyme values have been common findings. Tetracycline and cloramphenicol have been using in adults and children as especific theraphy.
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PMID:[Human ehrlichiosis. Review]. 773 23

Human ehrlichiosis is a zoonotic disease, caused by a rickettsia that infects leukocytes. It was described for the first time in the United States of America in 1986. More than 300 cases have been reported in that country. One case has been reported in Portugal, two in France and one more in a tourist coming from Mali (Africa). In Venezuela, a tropical country, where ehrlichiosis is endemic in dogs and horses, the first case of human ehrlichiosis is reported in a seventeen month old girl. She initially had symptoms compatible with a viral illness. Then she developed a rash, acute respiratory failure, hepato-splenomegaly, neurologic abnormalities, renal failure and hematologic alterations including pancytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Different diagnoses were given before it was concluded that it was a case of ehrlichiosis. She was treated with tetracycline and very soon recovered. The initial diagnosis was made using buffy coat blood smears stained with Diff Quick Stain. Indirect Immunofluorescence (IFA) test was used to detect antibodies against Ehrlichia chaffeensis (1:126) but not to other rickettsias. Also the presence of platelets with ehrlichia bodies similar to E. platys from dogs, it was demonstrated, in peripheral blood from the child. The presence of these bodies in human platelets has not been previously reported. In this case, it could not be proved that the disease was transmitted by a tick bite. The presence of ehrlichia bodies in platelets from the girl's peripheral blood is also described.
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PMID:[Human ehrlichiosis: report of the 1st case in Venezuela]. 892 30