The cause of fever that should be kept in mind in family medicine in settlements where livestock farming is widespread: Brucellosis

INTRODUCTION: In our country, where animal husbandry is widespread, it is aimed to determine retrospectively the data of our childhood brucellosis cases which are not very high in the literature, which may occur with many variable clinical findings and may cause misdiagnosis and serious complications.


METHODS: The data of the patients who were treated with the diagnosis of brucellosis between October 2016 and October 2018 in the Pediatric Clinic were retrospectively analyzed. The data of the patients who were treated with the diagnosis of brucellosis between October 2016 and October 2018 in the Pediatric Clinic were retrospectively analyzed.Diagnosis of brucellosis in patients; Wright agglutination test with complaints and clinical findings was based on the titer being 1/160 or above.
RESULTS: In our study, the mean age of the patients was 7.4 years (3-15). 52.12% (n: 37) were male and 47.88% (n: 34) were female. All patients had a risk factor for brucellosis infection. In 88.7% (n: 63) of these patients, consumption of milk and dairy products (precipitates, fresh cheese was not cooked), and 11.3% (n: 8) of raw meat (raw meatball) consumption and animal contact history were found to be.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although early diagnosis and response to treatment with brucellosis are very good, late diagnosis and inadequate treatment may cause mortality and morbidity with serious complications. Complaints of fatigue, weight loss and especially joint pain with long term fever should be evaluated by family physicians and pediatricians. The diagnosis of these patients should be kept in mind in the diagnosis of brucellosis, an endemic disease common in our country.