title: Osteoarthricular involvement of brucellosis in Turkey.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the rates, types, clinical features and treatment of osteoarthricular involvement of brucellosis in Turkey. In a restrospective study in adults, we investigated 238 patients diagnosed with brucellosis over a period of 6 years. A diagnosis of brucellosis was established by isolation of Brucella species in blood or by a compatible clinical picture together with a standard tube agglutination titre of > or = 1/160 of antibodies for brucellosis and/or demonstration of an at least four-fold rise in antibody titre in serum specimens taken over 2 or 3 weeks. Osteoarthricular involvement was defined by inflammatory signs in peripheral joints or by unrelieved pain at rest together with radiological alterations and/or radionuclide uptake in any deep joint. Eighty-seven patients (36.5%) had osteoarthricular involvement (58.6% female, 41.4% male), 47 (54.1%) of whom were reported to consume unpasteurised dairy products. The mean age was 32.3 +/- 16 years. Sacroiliitis was the most common involvement (n = 53, 60.9%) followed by peripheral arthritis (n = 17, 19.5%), spondylitis (n = 12, 13.8%) and bursitis (n = 5, 5.7%). During the observation period, 60 (69%) patients with osteoarthricular involvement and radiographic abnormalities. A bone scan was positive in 15 patients with no radiographic abnormalities. All patients received merely medical treatment and relapse occurred in five (5.7%) patients. Sacroiliitis has been determined as the most frequently observed type of osteoarthricular involvement in brucellosis in Turkey.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Bacteriology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Taşova
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saltoğlu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Aksu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002002:Brucella / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015242:Ofloxacin; D013752:Tetracycline; D004318:Doxycycline