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In part two of “Ticks and Us” we look at two related viruses that come from ticks and lead to the same symptoms as any tick-borne illness, namely flu-like illness with thrombocytopenia and transaminitis: the Heartland and severe fever and thrombocytopenia syndrome virus! Heartland Virus: The heartland virus is part of the Phenuviridae family, genus
Ehrlichiosis is the name of infections caused by obligate intracellular bacteria that are part of the Anaplasmatacae family (1). 3 different genera tend to cause disease: Ehrlichia chaffeensis, E. ewingii, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. These organisms tend to be part of the Rickettsiacae family which require eukaryotic cells to grow (4). Leukocytes tend to be the
Fever, thrombocytopenia, and transaminitis. I can be describing full blown septic shock with DIC, HIT (especially if you get a clot in this setting) and TTP (again, clots causing fever and Budd Chiari). Having said that, there is a selection of infections that tend to cause this pattern of fever, low platelets, and elevated LFTs.
Dr. Germophile 