Human brucellosis in Turkey: different clinical presentations.

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Brucellosis remains endemic in Turkey, posing a substantial public health risk.
• The study addresses the need to understand the clinical and laboratory features of brucellosis.
• Investigating complications is vital for managing this zoonotic disease.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the clinical and laboratory properties of brucellosis cases in Turkey.
• To identify common symptoms, risk factors, and complications associated with brucellosis.
• To analyze the prevalence of acute, subacute, and chronic brucellosis.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 370 brucellosis patient files.
• Data collected between March 2006 and January 2012.
• Inclusion criteria: confirmed brucellosis diagnosis.

Main Results:

• The primary risk factor identified was the consumption of unpasteurized dairy products (41.8%).
• Common complications included hematological (58.1%) and osteoarticular (48.3%) involvement.
• Elevated AST, ALT, and CRP levels were observed, along with leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and anemia. Osteoarticular complications correlated with increased age.

Conclusions:

• Brucellosis is associated with severe complications, particularly affecting hematological and musculoskeletal systems.
• Public education on avoiding unpasteurized dairy products is essential in endemic areas.
• Clinicians should be vigilant for potential misdiagnosis of hematological abnormalities as malignancies.