title: Human granulocytic anaplasmosis in northeastern Italy.
abstract: Sporadic cases of human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) have been reported in areas with a high prevalence of tick-borne diseases (TBDs) in Europe. We aimed at estimating the sero-prevalence of A. phagocytophilum and other TBDs in northeastern Italy in outpatients with a history of recent tick bite or suspected TBD. In the 1-year study, 79 patients were enrolled and 30 (38%) received a diagnosis of TBD: 24 (30%) with Lyme disease and 5 (6%) with HGE. Our findings indicate the presence of HGA in northeastern Italy; so, since co-infection with Lyme disease appeared to be frequent, physicians assessing patients after a tick bite should consider HGA in the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, Via Colugna No. 50, 33100 Udine, Italy. anna.beltrame@med.uniud.it
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beltrame
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ruscio
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arzese
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rorato
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Negri
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Londero
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crapis
authors.forename: Luigia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Scudeller
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viale
mesh_terms: D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007299:Insect Bites and Stings / Q000382:microbiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D013987:Ticks