Childhood Brucellosis: a Retrospective Study of 103 Cases

Abstract

In this study, the clinical and laboratory findings of 103 patients who were followed in our hospital with the diagnosis of brucellosis in our hospital were reviewed retrospectively. Our purpose was to determine the initial drug combination used in its treatment, and to stress the importance of this disease as a public health problem in Turkey, particularly in the Van region. Of the 103 patients, 52 were female and 51 were male. The patients' ages ranged from 20 months to 16 years (mean 8.31 ± 3.58 years). The most observed symptoms were fever (55.3%), arthralgia (53.3%), malaise (41.7%) and loss of appetite (30%). The most observed signs were hepatosplenomegaly (22.5%), hepatomegaly (20.5%), arthritis (17.4%) and splenomegaly (15.5%). Anemia was present in 18 (17.4%) patients, leukopenia in eight (7.7%), and leukocytosis in 15 (14.5%). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was studied in 84 (81.5%) patients; it was higher than 20 mm/hour in 52 (61.9%) patients. Liver function tests were studied in 55 (53.3%) patients; AST (aspartate aminotransferase) and ALT (alanine amino transferase) were abnormal in 31 (56.3%) and in 55 (53.3%) patients respectively. Brucella agglutination test was 1/160 or higher in all patients; it was ≥1/320 in most patients (83.5%). In the treatment, 12 types of drug combination used, primarily rifampin + co- trimoxazole, rifampin + tetracycline and streptomycin + co-trimoxazole. All except seven patients were successfully treated with the initial drug combination used. For the these seven patients, the initial drugs were changed for different drug regimens. There was no difference between the drug combination and recovery ratio (p>0.05). No relaps were noted.