Paul Ehrlich was a German microbiologist born in 1854. He is the namesake of 5 species of bacteria within the genus Ehrlicia. Bacteria of genus Ehrlichia are categorized as small, ellipsoidal and Gram negative. In nature Ehrlichia cycle between ticks and various mammals, resulting in ehrlichosis when observed in humans. Ehrlich is best know for his work in developing staining methods while working at the Berlin Medical Clinic. Later, Ehrlich went on to work as an assistant to Robert Koch at the Institute for Infectious Disease and began his immunological studies. In 1908 Ehrlich won a Nobel prize for his work in immunology as well as his work with chemotherapy. Ehrlich eventually died of a stroke in 1915 at the age of 61.
Ehrlichia chaffeenis and ewingii are the only two species of Ehrlichia known to infect humans with chaffeenis being the most common. The species name of chaffeenis is derived from Fort Chaffee in Arkansas where the species was first discovered.
works cited
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1908.’ Nobelprize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1908/ehrlich/biographical/.
“Ehrlichiosis.’ Lyme Disease, 12 Apr. 2018, www.columbia-lyme.org/ehrlichiosis.
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