Rare Cases of Human Brucellosis

Abstract

Whereas human brucellosis is usually considered to present as a febrile flu-like illness accompanied by a limited set of inflammatory focal manifestations, the scientific literature reveals the existence of diverse rare brucellosis forms affecting bones (e.g., phalanges), joints (e.g., sternoclavicular), the heart (e.g., mitral valves, pericardium), the vascular system (e.g., aortitis, deep-vein thrombosis), the lungs (e.g., pneumonia), or the blood (e.g., thrombocytopenia). Unusual neurobrucellosis cases have been also reported (e.g., subdural empyema, hearing loss). Rare forms of digestive (e.g., ileitis), hepatic (e.g., hepatic brucellomas), cutaneous (e.g., cellulitis, erythema nodosum) and ophthalmologic brucellosis (e.g., keratitis) have been described. Certain medical conditions, such as immunocompromise (by either transplantation or HIV infection), peritoneal dialysis, implantable cardiac devices or protheses, may be complicated by Brucella infection. In addition, rare brucellosis cases have been reported in terms of ways and/or sources of contagion, and Brucella species involved.