E-ISSN: 2147-2688
Serological Follow up in 50 Brucellosis Cases in a Rural Area
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Original Article
VOLUME: 53 ISSUE: 2
P: 139-142
June 2015

Serological Follow up in 50 Brucellosis Cases in a Rural Area

Med Bull Haseki 2015;53(2):139-142
DOI: 10.4274/haseki.2040
Semra Özgümüş 1
Gönül Şengöz 2
Gülşah Biter 3
Kamuran Bahar Sandıkcı 4
1. Hakkari Devlet Hastanesi, Enfeksiyon Hastalıkları ve Klinik Mikrobiyoloji Kliniği, Hakkari, Türkiye
2. Haseki Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Enfeksiyon Hastalıkları ve Klinik Mikrobiyoloji Kliniği, İstanbul, Türkiye
3. Hakkari Devlet Hastanesi, Tıbbi Mikrobiyoloji Kliniği, Hakkari, Türkiye
4. Çubuk 5 Nolu Aile Sağlığı Merkezi, Aile Hekimliği Uzmanlığı, Ankara, Türkiye
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ABSTRACT

Aim:

Brucellosis is an endemic and zoonotic disease in livestock farming areas. Patients may exhibit relapses, reinfections and multi-system complications. Therefore, early diagnosis, appropriate treatment as well as serological follow-up are extremely important in the management of this disease.

Methods:

We aimed to investigate the demographic characteristics, clinical and laboratory findings and risk factors in 50 brucellosis cases (14 males, 36 females) who were treated in Hakkari State Hospital. All patients were evaluated for post-treatment serological results.

Results:

The mean age of the patients was 35 years. The main clinical symptoms were arthralgia, fatigue, sweating, back pain, and headache. Fever, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly and arthritis were the most common signs. Anemia, high level of AST and ALT, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, high sedimentation rate, and leukocytosis were found in laboratory tests. The Wright agglutination test was positive at titers of 1/160 in 18 cases, 1/320 in 22 cases, 1/640 in 3 cases, and 1/1280 in 7 cases. Twelve patients had relapse. One patient, who was a veterinarian, was infected via splashing live brucella vaccine into the eyes. Two women transmitted the disease to their babies through breast milk. At the end of the treatment, Wright agglutination test results were negative in all patients.

Conclusion:

The average duration of symptoms before the diagnosis was 4 months in our study. Therefore, brucellosis should be considered in all individuals who present with fever and arthralgia in endemic areas.