Sequences used in phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene and <i>ank A</i> gene of <i>A. Phagocytophilum</i>.

<p>Sequences used in phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene and <i>ank A</i> gene of <i>A. Phagocytophilum</i>.</p

Phylogenetic tree based on the partial sequences of <i>A. phagocytophilum ank A</i> gene.

<p>Blue sequences:BJ-HGA-agent-1, CZ-HGA-agent-2, LZ-HGA-agent-3, LZ-HGA-agent-4, and LZ- HGA-agent-T1) and some <i>A. phagocytophilum</i> isolates identified in patients, domestic animals, wild animals and ticks from other parts of the world.</p

Morules in the neutrophils of HGA patients and morulae in the cultured HL60 cells.

<p>Morules(Wright's stain, mag×1000) in the neutrophils of the Patient15(A) and the Patient 37(B); Morulae (Wright's stain, mag×1000) in the cultured HL60 cells of the Patient 15(C) and the Patient 37(D) and morules(IFA,mag×600). in the cultured HL60 cells of the Patient 15(E) and the Patient 37(F).</p

Phylogenetic tree based on the partial sequences of <i>A. phagocytophilum</i> 16S rRNA gene.

<p>Blue sequences: the five Chinese isolates of <i>A. phagocytophilum</i> identified in this study. Red sequences: <i>H. longicornis</i> isolates collected from the patients' domestic animals in Laizhou Bay, Shandong Province. Black sequences: sequences from patients, domestic animals, wild animals and ticks from other parts of the world. Green sequences:sequences from patient in Anhui Province in 2006 and patient in Yiyuan County, Shandong Province in 2007.</p

Compare of Laboratory markers between the patients in Shandong Laizhou Bay and the patients in other 3 areas in the study.

<p>MODS, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome; SD, standard deviation; WBC, white blood cell; PLT, platelet; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; CK, creatine kinase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; PTT, activated partial thromboplastin time; HGB, hemoglobin; ESR, sedimentation rate.</p>a<p>p<0.05, HGA patients without MODS vs HGA patients with MODS, according to student's t-test.</p

Map of China and the Bohai Sea Ring areas,Shandong Province.

<p>The Laizhou Bay, Shandong Province (B:areas enclosed by the black circle), where the 2 human isolates (LZ-HGA-agent-3 and LZ-HGA-agent-4) and the tick isolate (LZ- HGA-agent-T1) isolated. The <i>H. longicornis</i> collected in the Laizhou Bay (D and E). Images of HGA patients with eschars from the Laizhou Bay, Shandong Province (F and G).</p

Clinical and laboratory findings and laboratory diagnosis data in 46 confirmed and 16 probable cases in China, 2009–2010.

<p>AST, aspartate aminotransferase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase; CK, creatine kinase; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; CRP, C-reactive protein; HGB, serum albumin; APTT, activated partial thromboplastin time; ESR, erythrocyte sedimentation rate.</p>a<p>: Forty-two serum samples were obtained during the convalescent phase of the illness.</p>b<p>: A total of 25 tick blood lymph sample pools were used to isolate the bacteria.</p