Long-standing, neglected sacroiliitis with remarked sacro-iliac degenerative changes as a result of Brucella spp. infection.
BACKGROUND
Osteoarticular disease is universally the most common complication of brucellosis. Sacro-iliac joint (SIJ) is the most frequent osteoarticular location of involvement. Sacroiliitis (SI) usually is associated with acute form of the disease, thus frank SIJ destruction caused by brucellosis is rare.


OBJECTIVE
To report the case of a patient suffering from severe, prolonged lumbar pain with sciatica, refractory to medical treatment, in which the correct and misdiagnosed cause of her pain was a long-standing, neglected brucellar SI.


METHODS
Case report.


METHODS
Scintigraphy and imaging methods (computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging).


RESULTS
The result of the delayed diagnosis was a pronounced degeneration of the SIJ.


CONCLUSIONS
Sacroiliitis as a result of infection with Brucella might cause severe joint degeneration if left untreated.
Dayan
Lior
L
Orthopedic Surgery Department, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel. l_dayan@rambam.health.gov.il
Deyev
Sergei
S
Palma
Lucio
L
Rozen
Nimrod
N
D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D004318:Doxycycline