title: Experimental infection of the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent in horses.
abstract: Human blood collected from two patients from Westchester County, New York with human granulocytic ehrlichia (HGE) infection was inoculated into two ponies. Inoculated ponies developed clinical signs similar to a previous report (Madigan et al., 1995). Histopathological changes involved follicular hyperplasia of lymphoid tissues. HGE DNA was detected by PCR in muscle, fascia, peritoneum, and adrenal gland after the ponies produced a high level of antibodies to HGE. We suggest that HGE may reside in poorly vascularized connective tissues, where the antibodies may have some difficulties to penetrate, resulting in persistent infection. Since HGE and E. equi cause very similar diseases in both humans and horses, they may be the same organism with minor genetic differences.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. yc42@cornell.edu
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Novosel
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dubovi
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: F K
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Del Piero
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lein
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005205:Fascia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013154:Spleen / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial