Human brucellosis in Turkey: different clinical presentations

Introduction: Brucellosis is still endemic in Turkey and presents a major public health risk. The aim of this study wasto investigate the clinical and laboratory properties and complications of brucellosis cases. Methodology: The files of 370 patients (162 males, 208 females) with brucellosis betwe...

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Main Authors: Selma Guler, Omer Faruk Kokoglu, Hasan Ucmak, Mustafa Gul, Sevinc Ozden, Fuat Ozkan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2014-05-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/3510
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author Selma Guler
Omer Faruk Kokoglu
Hasan Ucmak
Mustafa Gul
Sevinc Ozden
Fuat Ozkan
author_facet Selma Guler
Omer Faruk Kokoglu
Hasan Ucmak
Mustafa Gul
Sevinc Ozden
Fuat Ozkan
author_sort Selma Guler
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Brucellosis is still endemic in Turkey and presents a major public health risk. The aim of this study wasto investigate the clinical and laboratory properties and complications of brucellosis cases. Methodology: The files of 370 patients (162 males, 208 females) with brucellosis between March 2006 and January 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The mean age of patients was 39, 6±18.2 years. The major risk factor was unpasteurized dairy products in 155 (41.8%) cases. The complications included hematological (58.1%), osteoarticular (48.3%), hepatobiliary (26.7%), gastrointestinal (10%), and genitourinary system involvement (4.8%). The most frequently seen symptoms were weakness (64.3%), fever (63.2%), sweating (62.7%), arthralgia (59.1%), and lack of appetite (47.8%). A total of 261 patients (70.5%) were acute, 73 patients (19.7%) were subacute, and 36 patients (9.7%) were chronic. In the laboratory tests, AST, ALT and CRP levels were found as elevated in 27.6%, 21.6%, and 69.6% of the patients, respectively. On complete blood count analysis, leukopenia (21.4%), thrombocytopenia (23%), and anemia (70%) were determined. Pancytopenia was more common in acute cases (p = 0.019). Osteoarticular complications increased significantly with increased age (p = 0.005). Conclusions: Brucellosis is a common disease that may be accompanied by serious complications. In endemic regions of brucellosis, people should be taught to avoid unpasteurized dairy products. Clinicians must be aware of multiple system involvement in brucellosis, especially hematological and musculoskeletal systems. Hematological abnormalities occurring during the course of the disease may be misdiagnosed as hematological malignancies.
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spelling doaj-art-df2f905636a34c9fa17d894c54c8910d2025-08-20T02:14:19ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802014-05-0180510.3855/jidc.3510Human brucellosis in Turkey: different clinical presentationsSelma Guler0Omer Faruk Kokoglu1Hasan Ucmak2Mustafa Gul3Sevinc Ozden4Fuat Ozkan5Faculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, TurkeyFaculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, TurkeyFaculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, TurkeyFaculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, TurkeyNecip Fazil State Hospital, Kahramanmaras, TurkeyFaculty of Medicine, Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras, TurkeyIntroduction: Brucellosis is still endemic in Turkey and presents a major public health risk. The aim of this study wasto investigate the clinical and laboratory properties and complications of brucellosis cases. Methodology: The files of 370 patients (162 males, 208 females) with brucellosis between March 2006 and January 2012 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: The mean age of patients was 39, 6±18.2 years. The major risk factor was unpasteurized dairy products in 155 (41.8%) cases. The complications included hematological (58.1%), osteoarticular (48.3%), hepatobiliary (26.7%), gastrointestinal (10%), and genitourinary system involvement (4.8%). The most frequently seen symptoms were weakness (64.3%), fever (63.2%), sweating (62.7%), arthralgia (59.1%), and lack of appetite (47.8%). A total of 261 patients (70.5%) were acute, 73 patients (19.7%) were subacute, and 36 patients (9.7%) were chronic. In the laboratory tests, AST, ALT and CRP levels were found as elevated in 27.6%, 21.6%, and 69.6% of the patients, respectively. On complete blood count analysis, leukopenia (21.4%), thrombocytopenia (23%), and anemia (70%) were determined. Pancytopenia was more common in acute cases (p = 0.019). Osteoarticular complications increased significantly with increased age (p = 0.005). Conclusions: Brucellosis is a common disease that may be accompanied by serious complications. In endemic regions of brucellosis, people should be taught to avoid unpasteurized dairy products. Clinicians must be aware of multiple system involvement in brucellosis, especially hematological and musculoskeletal systems. Hematological abnormalities occurring during the course of the disease may be misdiagnosed as hematological malignancies. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/3510brucellosiscomplicationssoutheastern of Turkey
spellingShingle Selma Guler
Omer Faruk Kokoglu
Hasan Ucmak
Mustafa Gul
Sevinc Ozden
Fuat Ozkan
Human brucellosis in Turkey: different clinical presentations
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
brucellosis
complications
southeastern of Turkey
title Human brucellosis in Turkey: different clinical presentations
title_full Human brucellosis in Turkey: different clinical presentations
title_fullStr Human brucellosis in Turkey: different clinical presentations
title_full_unstemmed Human brucellosis in Turkey: different clinical presentations
title_short Human brucellosis in Turkey: different clinical presentations
title_sort human brucellosis in turkey different clinical presentations
topic brucellosis
complications
southeastern of Turkey
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/3510
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AT omerfarukkokoglu humanbrucellosisinturkeydifferentclinicalpresentations
AT hasanucmak humanbrucellosisinturkeydifferentclinicalpresentations
AT mustafagul humanbrucellosisinturkeydifferentclinicalpresentations
AT sevincozden humanbrucellosisinturkeydifferentclinicalpresentations
AT fuatozkan humanbrucellosisinturkeydifferentclinicalpresentations