Human granulocytic anaplasmosis in Austria: epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory findings in five consecutive patients from Tyrol, Austria.
We report five consecutive cases of Anaplasma (A.) phagocytophilum infection (the causative agent of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA)) from western Austria. All infections were acquired between June and August in 2003 and 2004 in the Inn valley (Tyrol, Austria). Four patients required hospitalisation, one patient was treated as an outpatient. During the acute stage of illness, laboratory findings included thrombocytopenia (5/5), elevated C-reactive protein (5/5), elevated neopterin (5/5), elevated lactate dehydrogenase (4/5), and elevation of liver enzymes (4/5). Leukopenia (3/5) and elevated procalcitonin (2/5) were less frequently observed. All patients were treated with tetracyclines, which led to prompt improvement of the clinical conditions. Anti-platelet antibodies were observed in one of four patients, but remained unchanged after complete covalescence.
Department of Hygiene, Microbiology and Social Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Fritz-Pregl-Str. 3, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. gernot.walder@i-med.ac.at
Gernot
G
Walder
Dietmar
D
Fuchs
Mario
M
Sarcletti
Klaus
K
Berek
Barbara
B
Falkensammer
Klaus
K
Huber
Miro
M
Petrovec
Manfred P
MP
Dierich
Reinhard
R
Würzner
D000328:Adult; D000709:Anaplasma / Q000276:immunology; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D004318:Doxycycline