Human Granulocytic Ehrlichiosis in New York

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Abstract
IN 1994, A NEW type of human ehrlichiosis was described in 12 patients from the upper Midwest.1 This illness differed from previous cases of human ehrlichiosis reported in the United States2-6 in that the ehrlichiae infected neutrophils rather than mononuclear leukocytes. The terms human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME) and human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) were used to distinguish the 2 diseases.7 Since 1994, cases of HGE have been reported with increasing frequency, primarily from the upper Midwest and the northeastern states.8-12 Published reports have included referral-based case series and individual case reports, but thus far no population-based surveillance data have been available. We report the results of population-based surveillance for HGE in New York, including a descriptive study and risk factor analysis of the first 64 cases of HGE identified in the state.