Coinfecting deer-associated zoonoses: Lyme disease, babesiosis, and ehrlichiosis

Clin Infect Dis. 2001 Sep 1;33(5):676-85. doi: 10.1086/322681. Epub 2001 Aug 6.

Abstract

The heightened worldwide recognition of the health burden of tickborne infection derives largely from the increasing incidence of Lyme disease, human babesiosis, and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis, both individually and in concert. Because these infections share the same rodent reservoir and tick vector hosts, they can be cotransmitted to human hosts. Indeed, human coinfections involving various combinations of these pathogens are common, and some tend to be particularly severe. Diagnostic procedures and clinical management of the resulting disease syndrome is rendered complex by the diversity of pathogens involved and by the unusual diversity and duration of symptoms.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Babesiosis / complications*
  • Babesiosis / diagnosis
  • Babesiosis / drug therapy
  • Babesiosis / epidemiology
  • Comorbidity
  • Deer* / microbiology
  • Deer* / parasitology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Disease Reservoirs / veterinary
  • Drug Therapy, Combination / therapeutic use
  • Ehrlichiosis / complications*
  • Ehrlichiosis / diagnosis
  • Ehrlichiosis / drug therapy
  • Ehrlichiosis / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Lyme Disease / complications*
  • Lyme Disease / diagnosis
  • Lyme Disease / drug therapy
  • Lyme Disease / epidemiology
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Zoonoses / transmission*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents