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Microscopy-based Assays for High-throughput Screening of Host Factors Involved in Brucella Infection of Hela Cells
Published on: August 5, 2016
Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of neurobrucellosis case patients in Tunisia
I Oueslati1, A Berriche1, L Ammari1
1Service des maladies infectieuses, hôpital la Rabta, Tunis, Tunisie; Université Tunis El Manar - faculté de médecine de Tunis, Tunis, Tunisie.
Objective:
We aimed to identify epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic, diagnostic, and outcome characteristics of neurobrucellosis case patients in Tunisia.
Patients And Methods:
We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study over a 17-year period (January 1997-December 2013). We included all neurobrucellosis patients hospitalized in the infectious disease department of La Rabta Hospital of Tunis during the study period.
Results:
A total of 13 patients were included in the study: 9 men and 4 women. Mean age was 31.6 years. Six patients presented with meningitis, three with encephalitis, two with meningoencephalitis, and two with meningo-myeloradiculitis. All patients had a lumbar puncture performed. Eleven patients had an abnormal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (84.6%): lymphocytic pleocytosis in seven patients, high level of CSF proteins in 11, and low level of CSF glucose in seven. All patients had a positive Brucella serological test in blood. A Brucella serological test was also performed in CSF and was positive for 10 patients (77%). A total of nine patients had a cerebral CT scan and/or MRI performed and abnormalities were observed in six patients. Antibiotic therapy was prescribed to all patients: a combination of rifampicin and co-trimoxazole (n=9) or doxycycline (n=4) for an average duration of eight months. Two patients also received steroids. A positive outcome was observed in 10 patients. Three patients were lost to follow up.
Conclusion:
Brucellosis may be severe when neurological involvement occurs. Brucellosis should be considered in the event of any neurological involvement associated with suggestive epidemiological features.
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