Neurobrucellosis; Three Case Reports

• Main Authors: Vedat TURHAN, Hayriye ÇAPRAZ, Zehra KARACAER, Oral ÖNCÜL
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bilimsel Tip Yayinevi 2008-09-01
• Series: Flora Infeksiyon Hastalıkları ve Klinik Mikrobiyoloji Dergisi
• Subjects: Neurobrucellosis; Diagnosis; Treatment
• Online Access: http://www.floradergisi.org/getFileContent.aspx?op=REDPDF&file_name=2008-13-3-150-154.pdf

Various systematic complications occur in up to 30% of patients with brucellosis however brucellosis may involve central nervous system in only 2-5% of patients. In this study, the clinical and laboratory characteristics and therapeutic approach of three cases of neurobrucellosis (in a case series of 86 brucellosis patients) followed in our clinic between 1990-2004 were evaluated retrospectively. Cranial nerve involvement was present in all of these cases. Diagnosis was made based on the clinical features and pathological cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings and presence of the specific brucellosis antibodies in CSF. Rose-Bengal tests and Wright agglutination tests were positive in all cases. Three cases of neurobrucellosis treated with a combination of rifampicin, doxycycline and trimetoprim-sulphametoxazole for a period of six months and they become disease free, completely. As a conclusion, neurobrucellosis should be considered especially in the differential diagnosis of meningitis of undetermined origin where brucellosis is endemic like Turkey and other Mediterranean basin countries.