Clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to complications of brucellosis: an experience of 12 years.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the clinical presentations, laboratory findings, prevalence and pattern of complications and the response to treatment of brucellosis in a 12-year period in a Turkish research hospital.


METHODS
Between 1996 and 2008, 231 patients were diagnosed with brucellosis and treated in our clinic. Medical records of 189 of the 231 patients with at least one demonstrable complication of the disease were reviewed for anamnesis, diagnosis, complications, treatment and clinical outcomes.


RESULTS
The decreasing order of the complications was: hematological, 104 (55%); osteoarticular, 70 (37%); hepatobiliary, 59 (31%), and gastrointestinal, 23 (12%). The most common laboratory findings were anemia, lymphomonocytosis, elevated sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, and elevated aminotransaminases.


CONCLUSIONS
The hematological, osteoarticular and hepatobiliary manifestations were predominant. Bursitis, synovitis, glomerulonephritis, cutaneous lesion and deep vein thrombosis were the rare complications observed in our study. In clinical practice, brucellosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis in the presence of infrequent complications.
Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Izmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
Gülşen
G
Mermut
Onur
O
Ozgenç
Meltem
M
Avcı
Ali Ilgın
AI
Olut
Ebru
E
Oktem
Vecdi Evren
VE
Genç
Alpay
A
Arı
Seher Ayten
SA
Coskuner
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D004318:Doxycycline; D012293:Rifampin; D013307:Streptomycin