The Case of Fever, Rash, and Positive Ehrlichia Antibodies
January 2009
in “
Kidney International
”
Studysummary This case report illustrates that false-positive antibodies for Ehrlichia species may occur in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, complicating diagnosis and treatment. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
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.
