title: Intravascular persistence of Anaplasma platys, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, and Ehrlichia ewingii DNA in the blood of a dog and two family members.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anaplasmosis, caused by Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma platys, and ehrlichiosis, caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Ehrlichia ewingii, the "Panola Mountain Ehrlichia" and Ehrlichia muris-like pathogens have been identified as emerging tick borne infectious diseases in dogs and human patients. Persistent intravascular infection with these bacteria is well documented in dogs, but is less well documented in human beings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serology and PCR targeting multiple microbial genes, followed by DNA sequencing, was used to test sequential blood samples. Tissue culture isolation was attempted in two laboratories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A. platys, E. chaffeensis, and E. ewingii DNA was amplified from two Anaplasma and Ehrlichia seronegative family members and their dog, all lacking typical symptoms of anaplasmosis or ehrlichiosis. Following treatment with doxycycline, the dog and mother were Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. PCR negative.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sequential PCR testing provided molecular evidence supporting intravascular persistence of A. platys and Ehrlichia spp. in two humans and their dog. Diagnosticians and clinicians should consider the potential for co-infections due to these tick borne organisms.
authors.affiliation: Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory and the Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA. ed_breitschwerdt@ncsu.edu.
authors.forename: Edward B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Breitschwerdt
authors.forename: Barbara C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Hegarty
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Qurollo
authors.forename: Tais B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Ricardo G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: Lucas S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Blanton
authors.forename: Donald H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Bouyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000709:Anaplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000712:Anaplasmosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology; D004285:Dogs; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016873:Ehrlichiosis / Q000097:blood / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012698:Serologic Tests