Is human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) present in European children? This paper reports on the first confirmed pediatric case of acute HGE in Europe. Presentation in this 11-year-old girl was comparable to clinical findings seen in adult European patients with HGE. The patient had self-limited febrile illness with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated serum C-reactive protein concentration. The patient not only had a fourfold change in antibody titer to *Ehrlichia phagocytophila* but also developed antibodies to *Ehrlichia chaffeensis*. The PCR test result was positive on the third as well as on the 22nd day after the onset of illness, that is, 16 days after spontaneous defervescence. This extended period of PCR positivity is a notable finding. This case report highlights the presence of HGE in European children and underscores the importance of considering this diagnosis in patients with compatible clinical findings. The extended PCR positivity observed in this case warrants further investigation.
Published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, this case report aligns with the journal's focus on infectious diseases and diagnostic microbiology. By presenting the first confirmed pediatric case of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in Europe, the study adds to the knowledge base for clinical diagnosis and public health surveillance of emerging infectious diseases.