A Case of Sweet Syndrome Associated With Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis

Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA amplified from lesional skin of seropositive dogs

“…This mechanism could explain the clinically observed erythema and papules in our dogs as well as the vascular changes we observed. Since the clinical and histological findings in the skin in our dogs are comparable to the reported human, dog, and lamb cases, these findings together with the positive PCR results indicate that the skin lesions in our dogs may be associated with a persistent A. phagocytophilum infection (Halasz et al, 2005;Egenvall et al, 2000;Granquist et al, 2010). In addition, negative leishmania PCR, lack of typical histopathological changes, and the failure to observe infectious organisms in any of the evaluated 65 biopsies decreases the possibility of other known infectious agents as the potential cause of these skin lesions.…”

“…In naturally infected lambs, clinical skin lesions from which A. phagocytophilum was amplified were focal as those described in a human case. Differences were seen upon histopathological examination, since the cellular infiltrate in lambs was characterized as mixed and not as predominantly neutrophilic like in the human case (Halasz et al, 2005;Granquist et al, 2010). A mixed cellular infiltrate, which was in most cases predominantly neutrophilic was also seen in our dogs (Table 1, dogs 4, 8, and 12).…”

“…Gross lesions described in a female patient with human granulocytic anaplasmosis and Sweet's syndrome were also erythematous papules, plaques, and nodules. These were histopathologically characterized by a dense dermal perivascular and interstitial, predominantly neutrophilic infiltrate (Halasz et al, 2005). In naturally infected lambs, clinical skin lesions from which A. phagocytophilum was amplified were focal as those described in a human case.…”

“…In humans, skin rash has been reported in up to 11% and 7% granulocytic anaplasmosis patients in USA and Europe, respectively (Dumler and Walker, 2001;Blanco and Oteo, 2002;Dumler et al, 2005). Furthermore, a case report of human granulocytic anaplasmosis and Sweet's syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis) has been published in the USA (Halasz et al, 2005). In the described human case, A. phagocytophilum DNA was amplified from the lesional skin biopsy, but immunohistochemistry was negative, and the agent was not observed in the skin (Halasz et al, 2005).…”

“…Furthermore, a case report of human granulocytic anaplasmosis and Sweet's syndrome (acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis) has been published in the USA (Halasz et al, 2005). In the described human case, A. phagocytophilum DNA was amplified from the lesional skin biopsy, but immunohistochemistry was negative, and the agent was not observed in the skin (Halasz et al, 2005).…”