title: Severe pharyngitis in stockbreeders: an unusual presentation of brucellosis.
abstract: Abstract Brucellosis is a known occupational hazard for shepherds, abattoir workers, veterinarians, dairy industry professionals and personnel in microbiological laboratories. Any organ may be affected by Brucella species but to date, severe manifestations in the pharynx have never been reported as the prevailing features of brucellosis. We report two cases in stockbreeders who presented with high-grade fever and severe exudative pharyngitis accompanied by severe odynophagia in the first and with high-grade fever and a history of relapsing tonsillitis in the second. We therefore recommend including brucellosis in the differential diagnosis of febrile patients suffering from unexplained pharyngitis or tonsillitis who belong to high-risk groups for contracting brucellosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Internal Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Thessaly, Papakiriazi 22 Street, 41222 Larissa, Greece.
authors.forename: Kalliopi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zachou
authors.forename: Panagiotis A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Papamichalis
authors.forename: George N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Dalekos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000372:Agglutination Tests; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017347:Brucella melitensis / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003611:Dairy Products; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D014059:Tongue; D014069:Tonsillitis / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial