Ehrlichiae are strictly intracellular bacterial pathogens that parasitize leukocytes or other blood cells. This is the first description of strictly intracellular Ehrlichia-like bacteria found in protozoa with a specificity for different species of the genus Saccamoeba. They behave as obligate endocytoparasites because infected developmental stages observed resembles that of Ehrlichia canis, Ehrlichia chaffeensis (human ehrlichiosis) and Ehrlichia equi.