Brucellosis in children in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the period 2000 - 2013.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse clinical, laboratory and epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in children in Bosnia and Herzegovina.


METHODS
The study included 246 children aged 0-18 years, who were hospitalized in Clinics and Departments for Infectious Diseases in Tuzla, Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Zenica and Bihać in the period 2000-2013, in whom the diagnosis of brucellosis was established based on anamnestic data, clinical features and positive results from blood culture and/or positive results from one of the serological tests.


RESULTS
In this period, a total of 2630 patients, 246 (9.35%) of whom were children, were treated from brucellosis at the Clinics and Departments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the majority of cases, the children were from rural parts of the country, 226 (91.87%);214 (87.04%) cases had direct contact with sick animals, sick family member or consumption of unpasteurized dairy products from farms where brucellosis had been already established. Male children predominated, 157 (63.82%). The most frequent clinical features in affected children were fever, 194 (78.86%) and joint pain, 158 (64.22%). The average duration of antimicrobial treatment was 42.85 ± 10.67 days. A total of 228 (92.68%) children were completely cured, while relapses occurred in 18 (7.32%) children.


CONCLUSIONS
Since brucellosis is an endemic disease in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is important that physicians in their daily practice consider brucellosis and establish proper diagnosis and therapy in children with prolonged fever, arthralgia, leukopenia and positive epidemiological data, especially in rural parts of the country.
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre Tuzla; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Sead
S
Ahmetagić
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre Tuzla; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Humera
H
Porobić Jahić
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Nada
N
Koluder
Department for Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital Zenica; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Lejla
L
Čalkić
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre Sarajevo; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Snježana
S
Mehanić
Department for Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital Zenica; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Eldira
E
Hadžić
Department for Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital Bihać; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Nevzeta
N
Ibrahimpašić
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Hospital Mostar; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Svjetlana
S
Grgić
Department for Infectious Diseases, Cantonal Hospital Bihać; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mirela
M
Zirić
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, Clinical Center Banja Luka; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Jelena
J
Bajić
Clinic for Infectious Diseases, University Clinical Centre Tuzla; Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Denis
D
Žepić
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000829:Animals, Domestic; D017522:Bosnia and Herzegovina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002006:Brucellosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population
clinical features; diagnosis; epidemiological characteristics; treatment