Spontaneous splenic rupture with hematoma in a patient with brucellosis

Brucellosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases worldwide with a variable frequency in European countries. Brucellosis is usually transmitted after direct contact with or consumption of dairy products from an infected animal. Initially, our patient, a 65 year-old man, had nonspecific manifestations of fever, malaise, headache, anorexia and arthralgia which are the classic symptoms of this disease. After the diagnosis of brucellosis had been confirmed by blood culture and serology, progressive thrombocytopenia developed in spite of appropriate antibiotic administration. Radiological investigation revealed imaging findings consistent with splenic rupture. The complete recovery was observed after administration of antibiotic therapy and platelet transfusion. Spontaneous rupture of the spleen with subcapsular hematoma is an extremely rare condition in brucellosis. We want to remind clinicians of this rare complication.