title: Kaleidoscopic presentation of neurobrucellosis.
abstract: Brucellosis remains an important public health problem especially in the underdeveloped countries as well as the Middle East. It may be a "master mimic" leading on to grave diagnostic dilemmas. Chronic neurobrucellosis is seldom associated with signs and symptoms of toxaemia due to multi organ dysfunction. We report the case of a 23-year-old man who presented with fever of 8 weeks associated with ascending weakness of lower limbs and sensorineural type of hearing loss of 6 weeks duration with prominent systemic findings in the form of hepatosplenomegaly and significant loss of weight. He responded well to treatment with combination antimicrobials with clinicoradiological resolution after 6 months of therapy. Even though a rare complication of brucellosis, neurobrucellosis causes significant morbidity if not promptly recognised and treated. Favourable outcomes can be achieved in neurobrucellosis with appropriate protracted polymicrobial antibiotic therapy as was illustrated in our patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India. pkesav@ymail.com
authors.forename: Praveen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kesav
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Modi
authors.forename: Veenu
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Singla
authors.forename: Dheeraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khurana
authors.forename: Sudesh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prabhakar
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000473:pathology; D050256:Antimitotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D020806:Central Nervous System Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D050256:Antimitotic Agents
keywords: Infections; Middle East; Neurobrucellosis; Neuropathies; Sensorineural hearing loss; Toxemia