Brucellar epididymo-orchitis: review of 53 cases in Babol, northern Iran

From September 1998 to December 2008, 53 cases of brucellar epididymo-orchitis were treated and followed. The mean age of the patients was 35.5+/-15.9 y. 26 (49.1%) subjects had orchitis. Scrotal pain and swelling, fever, sweating, and arthralgia or arthritis occurred in 53 (100%), 43 (84.3%), 40 (78.4%) and 25 (47.1%) cases, respectively. 16, 20, 9 and 8 cases were treated with gentamicin for 7 d plus doxycycline for 45 d (GD), cotrimoxazole plus doxycycline (CD) for 45 d, streptomycin for 2 weeks and doxycycline (SD) for 45 d, and cotrimaxazole plus rifampin (CR) for 45 d, respectively. We continued the oral agents in all regimens for 2 months in those not clinically cured. At 45 d, cure rates were 48.3%, 65%, 77.8% and 50%, respectively, and at 2 months they were 87.5%, 90%, 100% and 75%, for GD, CD, SD and CR, respectively. In conclusion, scrotal pain and swelling, fever, sweating and arthralgia or arthritis were the main clinical findings in brucellar epididymo-orchitis patients. An aminoglycoside containing combination therapy was usually efficacious. Cotrimoxazole plus doxycycline may be an alternative regimen for those who cannot take an aminoglycoside.