IMMUNOSEROLOGIC EVIDENCE OF COINFECTION WITH BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI, BABESIA-MICROTI AND HUMAN GRANULOCYTIC EHRLICHIA SPECIES IN RESIDENTS OFWISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA
Pd. Mitchell et al., IMMUNOSEROLOGIC EVIDENCE OF COINFECTION WITH BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI, BABESIA-MICROTI AND HUMAN GRANULOCYTIC EHRLICHIA SPECIES IN RESIDENTS OFWISCONSIN AND MINNESOTA, Journal of clinical microbiology, 34(3), 1996, pp. 724-727
In Wisconsin and Minnesota, Ixodes scapularis (Ixodes dammini) ticks a
re the vector of three microorganisms that may cause significant disea
se in humans and lower mammals. These diseases include Lyme borreliosi
s, which is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, babesiosis, which is cause
d by Babesia microti, and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), which
is caused by an apparently new species in the genus Ehrlichica. Immun
oserologic testing was performed on sera from patients with a diagnosi
s of one of these diseases to determine if there was evidence of coinf
ection with one or more of the other agents. Of 96 patients with Lyme
borreliosis. 9 (9.4%) demonstrated immunoserologic evidence of coinfec
tion: 5 (5.2%) with the agent of HGE, 2 (2.1%) microti, and 2 (2.1%) w
ith both microorganisms. Of 19 patients diagnosed with HGE, 3 (15.8%)
showed immunoserologic evidence of coinfection: 1 (5.3%) with B. burgd
orferi, 1 (5.3%) with B. microti, and 1 (5.3%) with both microorganism
s. One patient diagnosed with babesiosis was also seropositive for ehr
lichiosis. These results provide evidence for coinfection. perhaps exp
laining the variable manifestations and clinical responses noted in so
me patients with tick-transmitted diseases. In certain clinical settin
gs, laboratory testing for coinfection is indicated to ensure that app
ropriate antimicrobial treatment is given.