title: Unusual manifestation of brucellosis: liver abscess and pancytopenia caused by Brucella melitensis.
abstract: Brucellosis is a zoonosis with a worldwide distribution, and still endemic in Greece. Although hepatic involvement is common, cholecystitis and hepatic abscesses represent rare complications of the disease. Hematological manifestations of brucellosis include various abnormalities such as anemia and leucopenia, but the disease rarely presents with pancytopenia. We present a case of liver abscess and pancytopenia caused by Brucella melitensis in a 54-year-old worker who consumed unpasteurized dairy products. The patient was admitted twice to our hospital and finally diagnosed as suffering from a gallbladder empyema complicated by a liver abscess, for which he underwent surgery. Blood cultures drawn on his second admission isolated Brucella melitensis. Repeated serum agglutination testing for brucella turned out negative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Patras University Hospital, Rion-Patras, Greece. istarakis@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Starakis
authors.forename: Eftichia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Polyzogopoulou
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Siagris
authors.forename: Elias
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mazokopakis
authors.forename: Charalambos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Gogos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017347:Brucella melitensis; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology*; D003611:Dairy Products / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008100:Liver Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010198:Pancytopenia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D012756:Sheep; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents