HAEMATOLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF BRUCELLOSIS

Brucellosis is a major health problem in many parts of the world, particularly in the Mediterranean and Middle East. Very few data on the frequency and diversity of haematological abnormalities occurring in brucellosis have been reported. In the present study 85 patients with brucellosis in Imam Khomeini Hospital during 1997-2002 were investigated retrospectively to determine the haematological changes during the active course of this infection. Inclusion criteria included a compatible clinical picture with either a positive blood culture or bone marrow culture for brucella organism or a brucella antibody titre of 1/80 (Wright agglutination test), and 2ME (2- mercaptoethanol) of 1/40 or coomb’s Wright with any titre. Anemia was detected in 43.5% patients, leukopenia in 13.6%, thrombocytopenia in 12.5% and pancytopenia in 2.4% of patients. Unusual complications were detected in two patients, one with mouth bleedings, the other with purpuric skin lesions of the lower extremities, both patients had endocarditis. As brucellosis is common in our region it may be considered in patients whose blood picture reveals haemolytic anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia or pancytopenia, particularly when the disease is epidemiologically suspected.