Rarely a patient with Ehrlichiosis may have a fulminant clinical course, which can be fatal.
Patient selection: Ehrlichiosis
Risk factors for severe Ehrlichiosis:
(1) immunosuppression
(2) extremes of age
(3) delay in diagnosis and appropriate therapy
(4) alcoholism
Clinical features of fulminant Ehrlichiosis may include:
(1) rhabdomyolysis
(2) multi-organ failure (MOF) with shock, ARDS, renal failure and/or hepatic failure
(3) severe weakness
(4) cerebral dysfunction
