Pulmonary involvement of Brucellosis: a report of six cases

F Simsek, MT Yildirmak, H Gedik, A Kantürk, EN Iris

Abstract

Background:Pulmonary involvement of brucellosis rarely occurs due to inhalation of infected aerosol or hematogenous overspreading. Objective The study aimed to reveal the pulmonary manifestations of brucellosis that occur rarely in Brucella infections in the context of six cases in this report.

Methods: Between 1998-2008, 82 patients with brucellosis treated and followed up at infectious diseases clinic have been retrospectively studied in relation to their clinical and laboratory findings and treatment results.

Results: Patients’ (n=6) age ranged from 48 to 59 years and they showed equal gender distribution. All patients presented with fever and cough. Radiological examination showed pneumonic patches and consolidation in two cases, bilateral glass round opacity in four cases, perivascular and peribronchial thickness increase in two cases, pleural effusion in two cases, sentri-acinar emphysematous images in one patient, and athelectasis in one patient. Blood cultures of three patients grew Brucella spp. . All patients responded to treatment containing doxycycline, rifampicin and streptomycin (for only one patient) within seven to 10 days and were treated for six weeks except for one patient for who was treated eight weeks due to hepatosplenic rucellosis.

Conclusion: Pulmonary involvement of brucellosis has good prognosis with combined antimicrobial therapy.

Key words: Brucellosis, pulmonary, manifestations