ANAPLASMA PHAGOCYTOPHILUM

Course overview

ANAPLASMA PHAGOCYTOPHILUM IS A GRAM-NEGATIVE INTRACELLULAR BACTERIA THAT CAUSES AN ACUTE FEBRILE ILLNESS KNOWN AS ANAPLASMOSIS OR HUMAN GRANULOCYTIC ANAPLASMOSIS (HGA). ANAPLASMOSIS GENERALLY PRESENTS WITH NONSPECIFIC SYMPTOMS SUCH AS FEVER, CHILLS, MALAISE, HEADACHE, AND MYALGIA. ON RARE OCCASIONS, A RASH MAY BE PRESENT. PATIENTS MAY ALSO REPORT NONSPECIFIC GASTROINTESTINAL OR RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS. A MINORITY OF PATIENTS WILL DEVELOP LIFE-THREATENING COMPLICATIONS. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN THIS CONDITION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ON DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS AND HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE FOR IT. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.