Ehrlichiosis - Treatment

Alternative Names

Human monocytic ehrlichiosis; HME; Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis; HGE; Human granulocytic anaplasmosis; HGA

Treatment:

Antibiotics (tetracycline or doxycycline) are used to treat the disease. Young children should not take tetracycline by mouth until after all their permanent teeth have grown in, because it can permanently discolor growing teeth. Doxycycline used for 2 weeks or less typically does not cause discoloration of a child's permanent teeth.

Expectations (prognosis):

Ehrlichiosis is rarely deadly. With antibiotics, patients usually improve within 24 - 48 hours. Recovery takes 3 weeks.

Complications:

Coma
Death (rare)
Kidney damage
Lung damage
Other organ damage
Seizure

Calling your health care provider:

Call your health care provider if you become sick after a recent tick bite or if you've been in areas where ticks are common. Be sure to tell your doctor about the tick exposure.

Ehrlichiosis

Antibodies

Reviewed last on: 12/3/2009
A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, Greg Juhn, MTPW, David R. Eltz. Previously reviewed by Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (8/28/2009).

References

Walker DH, Cumler JS. Ehrlichia chaffeensis (human monocytotropic ehrlichiosis), anaplasma phagocytophilum (human granulocytotropic anaplasmosis), and other ehrlichieae. In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa : Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2005: chap 190.

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