Ehrlichia, the third most common co-infection found with Lyme, is a bacteria that invades and lives inside of white blood cells. Hosts can vary, all the way from humans and pets, like dogs and goats, to wild animals, especially white-tailed deer, coyotes, and racoons. Veterinarians confirm that ehrlichiosis can be a chronic condition, while human medicine does not acknowledge this and says the infection is only acute!
First identified in 1987, Ehrlichia is most commonly found in the eastern half of New England to western Texas. Currently, there are over 1,700 cases of Ehrlichiosis diagnosed per year, 35% of which come from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri.
Types of Ehrlichia
There are several types of Ehrlichia that inhabit different white blood cells. Human Monocytic ehrlichiosis is caused by Ehrlichia Chaffeensis, which is transmitted by the lone star tick.
Early signs within the first week include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Fatigue
- Low back pain
- Muscle aches
- Gastrointestinal symptoms like vomiting and/or diarrhea
- Swollen lymph nodes
Longer term symptoms can be more severe, including:
- Anemia
- Eye problems, like blindness and recurrent pink eye
- Painful or difficult urination
- Neurological issues
- Swollen limbs
- Bleeding episodes from the inability of blood to clot due to low platelets and/or low blood pressure
In more severe cases, Ehrlichia can damage lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, blood vessels, lymph nodes, and the nervous system causing kidney failure, liver failure, and/or adrenal insufficiency. People infected typically present as asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, however, for the elderly or immunocompromised, it can be fatal.
Why does Ehrlichia Occur?
Ehrlichiosis occurs if the immune system is not able to eliminate bacteria before it invades white blood cells. Ehrlichia has evolved complex mechanisms to evade the immune system. White blood cells are usually highly effective at killing pathogens by phagocytizing (or eating) them and destroying them. Ehrlichia gets eaten, but not destroyed, and inhibits the white blood cell from apoptosis (programmed cell death) allowing it to continue growing and living.
Diagnosing Ehrlichia
Ehrlichia is becoming more and more of a problem as we become a sicker population. Ehrlichia needs iron to survive, making it a contributor to low iron levels, anemias, and/or high ferritin levels. Routine laboratory results indicative of an infection include a low white blood cell count, and low platelet count, as well as elevated liver enzymes (ALT, AST, LDH), elevations in the levels of serum creatinine and amylase, and electrolyte abnormalities.
The lab tests I run the most often include DNA Connexions, Vibrant Labs or Igenex, as the tests are more sensitive when they combine antigen testing as well as DNA PCR methods.
Once a diagnosis is confirmed, conventional treatment consists of antibiotics like doxycycline, cipro, gentamicin, penicillin, and/or erythromycin. For a more natural approach, a treatment plan would consist of support for the white blood cells, medicinal mushrooms, and the use of killer herbs.