HUMAN BRUCELLOSIS; A PHYSICIAN’S EXPERIENCE OVER 12 YEARS

Mallikarjuna Shetty*, Adiraju Krishna Prasad and Nageswar Rao Modugu

ABSTRACT

Introduction; Brucellosis is the commonest zoonosis all over the world. with varied presentation involving multiple organs with misdiagnosis and treatment. Aim: To study the clinical features, laboratory investigations, complications and treatment outcome in patients with Brucellosis. Material and methods: We retrospectively collected data from case records of patients with Brucellosis over 2005 to 2016 (12 years) and the parameters studied were Age, symptoms, signs, investigations specially Blood and bonemarrow serology for brucellosis along with blood and bonemarrow cultures for brucellosis along with treatment outcome. Results: Total number of patients were 13 with Male to female ratio of 6:7, and mean age was43.15 years, the commonest occupation was house wife and the symptom was fever in100% with average duration of 96.3 days, followed by joint pains in 61%, with hepatospleenomagely in7.6% patients. Pallor was present in 15.2% patients with average ESR of 103.66mm1st hour, Obstructive hepatopathy in 46% patients, Brucella serology positivety in blood was seen in all patients except 1, with titres of 1:160 in46% 1:320 in7.6%, 1:640 and 1:1280 in15.2% patients, Bonemarrow positive serology for Brucella was seen in 10 patients with titres of 1:160 in7.6%,1:320in15.2%,1:640 in23%,1:1280 in23% patients. And 30.76% patients had grown Brucella on blood culture and 23% had grown Brucella by bonemarrow culture. All the patient responded to the treatment, except 1 patient mortality due to multiorgan involment. Conclusion: Brucellosis still remains a challenging disease for physicians with different presentations. Its important to diagnose and treat early to prevent morbidity and mortality.

Keywords: Blood serology, Bone marrowculture, Doxcycline, Fever, Rifampicin, Streptomycin.