title: Musculoskeletal manifestations of brucellosis: a study of 90 cases in Israel.
abstract: Rheumatological manifestations are frequently reported in patients with brucellosis. In a retrospective study of 90 patients diagnosed with brucellosis over a period of 18 years, 83 (92%) patients were Bedouins, 55 of whom (61%) reported ingestion of unpasteurized goat milk and goat milk products. The male/female ratio was 1:1, and the adult to child ratio was 3:2. The mean age of the patients was 25 years (range, 1-72 years). Rheumatological manifestations (myalgia, arthralgia, and arthritis) were reported in more than half of the patients. These manifestations started on days 3 and 4 of the disease and were mild to moderate in severity. Myalagia was evident in 49 (54%) patients and was more common in adults than in children (67% versus 37%; P < .01) and in men (67%) than in women (42%; P < .01). Arthralgia was the most common musculoskeletal manifestation, found in 55 (61%) patients, and occurred more often in children than in adults (74% versus 52%; P < .05). Arthritis was detected in 37 (41%) patients. The hip and knee joints were the most common sites of arthritis (31% each) followed by sacroiliac involvement (17%) and shoulder or spine involvement (5% each). Arthritis was also more common in children (63% versus 29%; P < .01). The prevalence of arthritis was similar in men and women. Cure was achieved in all patients after antibiotic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Soroka Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zaks
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sukenik
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alkan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flusser
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Buskila
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D018912:Arabs; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000209:etiology; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000209:etiology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008892:Milk; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies