title: Brucella bacteremia in a recipient of an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brucellosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients living in areas that are endemic for the infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 20 years old Saudi male was diagnosed to have severe aplastic anemia at King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh in April 2006. One hundred and twelve days following his successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, he presented with pyrexia in addition to neutropenia and mild thrombocytopenia. Brucella serology was strongly positive and blood cultures grew Brucella melitensis. The bacteremic episode of brucellosis was successfully treated with streptomycin, doxycyclin and ciprofloxacin at the outpatient clinic. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a naturally occurring Brucella infection complicated by Brucella bacteremia in a recipient of hematopoietic stem cell transplant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brucellosis may cause systemic infections, complicated bacteremias and serious morbidity in immunocompromised patients living in countries that are endemic for the infection. It should be considered as a possible cause of fever and pancytopenia in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients living in these geographical locations. Nevertheless, the infection is curable provided the diagnosis is made early and an appropriate antimicrobial therapy is promptly initiated.
authors.affiliation: Section of Adult Hematology and Hematopoietic, Stem Cell Transplant, King Faisal Cancer Centre, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P,O, Box: 3345, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia. kaa_alanazi@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Khalid A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Al-Anazi
authors.forename: Saleh Abu
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jafar
authors.forename: Asma M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Al-Jasser
authors.forename: Hamad
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Omar
authors.forename: Fahad I
authors.initials: FI
authors.lastname: Al-Mohareb