Experimental infection of the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent in horses.
Abstract: Human blood collected from two patients from Westchester County, New York with human granulocytic ehrlichia (HGE) infection was inoculated into two ponies. Inoculated ponies developed clinical signs similar to a previous report (Madigan et al., 1995). Histopathological changes involved follicular hyperplasia of lymphoid tissues. HGE DNA was detected by PCR in muscle, fascia, peritoneum, and adrenal gland after the ponies produced a high level of antibodies to HGE. We suggest that HGE may reside in poorly vascularized connective tissues, where the antibodies may have some difficulties to penetrate, resulting in persistent infection. Since HGE and E. equi cause very similar diseases in both humans and horses, they may be the same organism with minor genetic differences.
Publication Date: 1998-09-15 PubMed ID: 9735918DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(98)00133-2Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates the effect of human granulocytic ehrlichia (HGE) on horses by injecting infected human blood into ponies and observing the clinical and pathological changes. The findings suggest that HGE may remain in the connective tissues causing persistent infection and that HGE and E. equi, which cause similar diseases in humans and horses, could be the same organism.
Research Methodology and Findings
- The researchers initiated the study by collecting blood from two patients in Westchester County, New York, who were infected with human granulocytic ehrlichia, a bacterial disease transmitted by ticks.
- The infected human blood was carefully injected into two healthy ponies, providing a practical way to observe and document the effects of the HGE infection in a non-human species.
- The inoculated ponies developed clinical signs consistent with previous documented cases of HGE infections, demonstrating the successful transmission of the infection from humans to horses.
- The team then conducted a microscopic examination of the pony’s tissues, which revealed clinical changes involving lymphoid tissues — an increase in the size and number of lymphoid follicles, known as follicular hyperplasia. This clinical sign is associated with a response to infection.
Implications and Conclusions
- HGE DNA was detected in various tissues, including the muscle, fascia, peritoneum, and adrenal gland, after the ponies produced a significant level of antibodies responding to the HGE infection.
- Such a finding leads to the hypothesis that HGE may reside in poorly vascularized connective tissues where the antibodies may have difficulties penetrating, resulting in a persistent infection. This understanding could influence the strategies for treatment of this infection.
- The research also includes an assertion about the relationship between HGE and E. equi bacteria. Both cause very similar diseases in humans and horses, leading the researchers to speculate they could be the same organism with minor genetic differences.
Cite This Article
APA
Chang YF, Novosel V, Dubovi E, Wong SJ, Chu FK, Chang CF, Del Piero F, Shin S, Lein DH.
(1998).
Experimental infection of the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent in horses.
Vet Parasitol, 78(2), 137-145.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(98)00133-2 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA. yc42@cornell.edu
MeSH Terms
- Adrenal Glands / microbiology
- Adrenal Glands / pathology
- Aged
- Animals
- DNA, Bacterial / analysis
- DNA, Bacterial / blood
- Ehrlichia / classification
- Ehrlichia / genetics
- Ehrlichia / physiology
- Ehrlichiosis / microbiology
- Ehrlichiosis / pathology
- Ehrlichiosis / veterinary
- Fascia / microbiology
- Fascia / pathology
- Horse Diseases / microbiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Humans
- Joints / microbiology
- Joints / pathology
- Liver / pathology
- Lung / microbiology
- Lung / pathology
- Lymph Nodes / microbiology
- Lymph Nodes / pathology
- Lymphatic System / pathology
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Muscle, Skeletal / microbiology
- Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
- Peritoneum / microbiology
- Peritoneum / pathology
- Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
- Spleen / pathology
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Dos Santos TM, Roier ECR, Pires MS, Santos HA, Vilela JAR, Peckle M, Paulino PG, Baldani CD, Massard CL. Molecular evidence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Theileria equi coinfection in horses from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.. Vet Anim Sci 2019 Jun;7:100055.
- Zhang Y, Lv Y, Cui Y, Wang J, Cao S, Jian F, Wang R, Zhang L, Ning C. First molecular evidence for the presence of Anaplasma DNA in milk from sheep and goats in China.. Parasitol Res 2016 Jul;115(7):2789-95.
- Giudice E, Giannetto C, Furco V, Alongi A, Torina A. Anaplasma phagocytophilum seroprevalence in equids: a survey in Sicily (Italy).. Parasitol Res 2012 Aug;111(2):951-5.
- Jarefors S, Karlsson M, Forsberg P, Eliasson I, Ernerudh J, Ekerfelt C. Reduced number of interleukin-12 secreting cells in patients with Lyme borreliosis previously exposed to Anaplasma phagocytophilum.. Clin Exp Immunol 2006 Feb;143(2):322-8.
- Artiushin S, Timoney JF, Nally J, Verma A. Host-inducible immunogenic sphingomyelinase-like protein, Lk73.5, of Leptospira interrogans.. Infect Immun 2004 Feb;72(2):742-9.
- Palaniappan RU, Chang YF, Jusuf SS, Artiushin S, Timoney JF, McDonough SP, Barr SC, Divers TJ, Simpson KW, McDonough PL, Mohammed HO. Cloning and molecular characterization of an immunogenic LigA protein of Leptospira interrogans.. Infect Immun 2002 Nov;70(11):5924-30.
- Kim HY, Mott J, Zhi N, Tajima T, Rikihisa Y. Cytokine gene expression by peripheral blood leukocytes in horses experimentally infected with Anaplasma phagocytophila.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2002 Sep;9(5):1079-84.
- Ramsey AH, Belongia EA, Gale CM, Davis JP. Outcomes of treated human granulocytic ehrlichiosis cases.. Emerg Infect Dis 2002 Apr;8(4):398-401.
- Pusterla N, Madigan JE, Asanovich KM, Chae JS, Derock E, Leutenegger CM, Pusterla JB, Lutz H, Dumler JS. Experimental inoculation with human granulocytic Ehrlichia agent derived from high- and low-passage cell culture in horses.. J Clin Microbiol 2000 Mar;38(3):1276-8.
- Liz JS, Anderes L, Sumner JW, Massung RF, Gern L, Rutti B, Brossard M. PCR detection of granulocytic ehrlichiae in Ixodes ricinus ticks and wild small mammals in western Switzerland.. J Clin Microbiol 2000 Mar;38(3):1002-7.
- Levin ML, Fish D. Immunity reduces reservoir host competence of Peromyscus leucopus for Ehrlichia phagocytophila.. Infect Immun 2000 Mar;68(3):1514-8.
- Chang YF, McDonough SP, Chang CF, Shin KS, Yen W, Divers T. Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent infection in a pony vaccinated with a Borrelia burgdorferi recombinant OspA vaccine and challenged by exposure to naturally infected ticks.. Clin Diagn Lab Immunol 2000 Jan;7(1):68-71.
- Munderloh UG, Jauron SD, Fingerle V, Leitritz L, Hayes SF, Hautman JM, Nelson CM, Huberty BW, Kurtti TJ, Ahlstrand GG, Greig B, Mellencamp MA, Goodman JL. Invasion and intracellular development of the human granulocytic ehrlichiosis agent in tick cell culture.. J Clin Microbiol 1999 Aug;37(8):2518-24.
- Wong SJ, Thomas JA. Cytoplasmic, nuclear, and platelet autoantibodies in human granulocytic ehrlichiosis patients.. J Clin Microbiol 1998 Jul;36(7):1959-63.
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