title: Abducens nerve palsy and optic neuritis as initial manifestation in brucellosis.
abstract: Cranial nerve involvement in brucellosis is rare. We present a case of brucellosis presenting with optic neuritis and abducens nerve palsy on the left side. Cerebrospinal fluid findings indicated Brucella meningitis with high protein count, low sugar level and pleocystosis. In addition, Brucella agglutination test (Wright test) was found to be 1/128 in cerebrospinal fluid. Serum agglutination test for Brucella was also positive at 1/1280. This case was diagnosed as brucellosis involving optic and abducens nerves. The patient was treated by ceftriaxone (intravenous), rifampicin (orally) and doxycycline (orally). Two months later the patient's vision acuity in the left eye had moderately improved and the patient's left abducens palsy had almost disappeared. In conclusion, cranial nerve involvement in brucellosis can have good prognosis if anti-Brucella treatment is undertaken early.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Baskent University Faculty of Medicine, Adana Teaching and Medical Research Centre, Adana, Turkey. bkarakurum@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Basak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karakurum Goksel
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yerdelen
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karatas
authors.forename: Aysel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pelit
authors.forename: Y Ziya
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Demiroglu
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kizilkilic
authors.forename: Meliha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Okan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Toygar
mesh_terms: D020434:Abducens Nerve Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*