The Case of Fever, Rash, and Positive Ehrlichia Antibodies

    January 2009 in “ Kidney International
    Amay Parikh, Arshia Abbasi, Ranita Sharma
    TLDR The woman was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) after initial misdiagnosis and improved with proper treatment.
    A 21-year-old woman presented with symptoms including fever, malaise, joint pain, rash, and hair loss. Initial tests showed leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, and positive antibodies for various infections, leading to a presumptive treatment for ehrlichiosis. However, her condition worsened, and further tests confirmed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis. Treatment with steroids and mycophenolate mofetil led to remission of SLE and normalization of antibody titers. This case highlighted the potential for false-positive antibody results in SLE patients, particularly for Ehrlichia species.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 1000+ results

      community Hair Remedies that Don't Work for Anybody Seeking Hair Regrowth

      in Treatment  7 upvotes 4 years ago
      Hair loss treatments discussed include minoxidil, finasteride, and RU58841. Salon products and supplements generally don't work for hair regrowth unless there's a severe nutritional deficiency, while hormonal treatments like estrogen and spironolactone can be effective.
      If You Have DUPA, PLEASE READ THIS: Everyone Should Be Scalp Biopsied

      community If You Have DUPA, PLEASE READ THIS: Everyone Should Be Scalp Biopsied

      in Research  821 upvotes 5 months ago
      Scalp biopsies are crucial for diagnosing hair loss conditions like Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and retrograde hair loss, as treatments like finasteride and dutasteride may not be effective if other conditions are present. Combining PPAR-GAMMA agonists with retinoids could improve treatments for conditions like Lichen Planopilaris.

    Similar Research

    5 / 1000+ results