Serological evidence of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in Norway

Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis was first described in 1994. This tick-transmitted illness is increasingly recognized in the USA as well as in Europe in areas where Ixodes ticks and Lyme borreliosis are endemic. Blood samples from 58 Norwegian patients with physician-diagnosed Lyme borreliosis were examined for the presence of antibodies to Ehrlichia equi, a surrogate marker of the agent of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis. The results indicated that 10.2% of the patients may have been co-infected with human granulocytic ehrlichiosis and Lyme borreliosis. Human granulocytic ehrlichiosis appears to be established in southern Norway.