Gastrointestinal manifestations of brucellosis in Saudi Arabian patients

Gastrointestinal manifestations of brucellosis in 340 Saudi Arabian patients are reported. Sixty seven per cent of patients presented with gastrointestinal disturbances. The most frequent symptoms were anorexia (40%), abdominal pain (16%), vomiting (11%), and diarrhoea (6%). Hepatomegaly (32%), splenomegaly (29%) and abdominal tenderness (15%) were major abnormalities on physical examination. In endemic areas for brucellosis, gastrointestinal disturbances in the presence of fever of obscure etiology, should raise the possibility of brucellosis.