Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39020279›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2024

Neurological manifestations of ehrlichiosis among a cohort of patients: prevalence and clinical symptoms.

Osahon Iyamu, Emily J Ciccone, Abigail Schulz, Julia Sung, Haley Abernathy, Aidin Alejo, Katherine Tyrlik, Victor Arahirwa, Odai Mansour, Dana Giandomenico and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Osahon Iyamu *College of Arts and Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Emily J Ciccone *Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Abigail SchulzCollege of Medicine, University of Illinois, IL, 61605, Peoria, USA.
Julia SungInstitute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Haley AbernathyDepartment of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Aidin AlejoSchool of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Katherine TyrlikDepartment of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Victor ArahirwaSchool of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Odai MansourInstitute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Dana GiandomenicoInstitute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Monica M DiazDepartment of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA.
Ross M BoyceInstitute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, Chapel Hill, USA. roboyce@med.unc.edu.

Funding

Re-Entry Supplement: Investigation of Oral Microbial Enzymes for the Detection and Treatment of Periodontal DiseaseUL1TR002489 · NCATS · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI BUSE, JOHN BERNARD, SHAHEEN, NICHOLAS J · 2018 to 2022
$48.6M
North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences Institute (NC TraCS)UM1TR004406 · NCATS · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI NICHOLAS J SHAHEEN · 2023 to 2026
$37.5M
Leveraging Molecular Technologies to Improve Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Acute Respiratory Illness in Resource-Constrained SettingsK23AI173658 · NIAID · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI Emily Jane Ciccone · 2023 to 2026
$878k
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases K23AI173658-01A1NCATS NIH HHS UL1TR002489NCATS NIH HHS UM1 TR004406NIAID NIH HHS K23 AI173658
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEhrlichiosis is a potentially fatal tick-borne disease that can progress to involve the central nervous system (CNS) (i.e., neuro-ehrlichiosis), particularly in cases where diagnosis and treatment are delayed. Despite a six-fold national increase in the incidence of ehrlichiosis over the past 20 years, recent data on the prevalence and manifestations of neuro-ehrlichiosis are lacking.

methodsWe conducted a retrospective chart review of all patients tested for ehrlichiosis at University of North Carolina Health facilities between 2018 and 2021 and identified patients who met epidemiological criteria for ehrlichiosis as established by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists and employed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We estimated the prevalence of neurological symptoms and described the spectrum of neurological manifestations in acute ehrlichiosis, documenting select patient cases in more detail in a case series.

resultsOut of 55 patients with confirmed or probable ehrlichiosis, five patients (9.1%) had neurologic symptoms, which is notably lower than previous estimates. Neurological presentations were highly variable and included confusion, amnesia, seizures, focal neurological deficits mimicking ischemic vascular events, and an isolated cranial nerve palsy, though all patients had unremarkable neuroimaging at time of presentation. All but one patient had risk factors for severe ehrlichiosis (i.e., older age, immunosuppression).

conclusionsNeuro-ehrlichiosis may lack unifying patterns in clinical presentation that would otherwise aid in diagnosis. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for neuro-ehrlichiosis in patients with acute febrile illness, diverse neurological symptoms, and negative neuroimaging in lone star tick endemic regions.

Indexed as

EhrlichiosisAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNervous System DiseasesNorth CarolinaPrevalenceRetrospective StudiesEhrlichiosisNeurologyTicks

Identifiers

PMID39020279
PMCPMC11253485

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.