Research progress on complications of Brucellosis

• Published in: Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology Vol. 13; p. 1136674
• Main Authors: Jin, Min, Fan, Zixu, Gao, Ruifang, Li, Xingnan, Gao, Zhixiang, Wang, Zhanli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A 31.03.2023
• Subjects: brucellosis; Cellular and Infection Microbiology; complications; endocarditis; meningitis; osteoarthritis
• ISSN: 2235-2988; 2235-2988
• DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1136674

B rucellosis is a common zoonotic disease that is widely spread worldwide and poses a major threat to human health. Clinically, it often presents with non-specific symptoms such as fever, excessive sweating, malaise, myalgia, arthralgia, loss of appetite, weight loss, and enlarged liver, spleen and lymph nodes. The disease has a long and recurrent course, often accumulating in multiple systems and organs. Of these, osteoarticular involvement is the most common complication, with a prevalence of approximately 2-77%, usually manifesting as spondylitis, sacroiliac arthritis and peripheral arthritis. Hepatosplenomegaly is seen in about 50% of patients with b rucellosis, and gastrointestinal disturbances such as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting are common. Although respiratory involvement is less common, pneumonia, pleurisy, pleural effusion, and pulmonary nodules have been reported. Besides, approximately 2-20% of cases involve infections of the male genitourinary system, mainly manifesting as unilateral epididymal-orchitis and orchitis. The most serious complication facing b rucellosis is cardiovascular involvement, and although the overall mortality rate of b rucellosis is about 1% and the incidence of b rucellosis endocarditis is less than 2%, more than 80% of deaths are associated with endocarditis. Furthermore, b rucellosis is complicated by hematologic disease, with anemia occurring in approximately 20-53% of children during the acute phase. In addition, the neurological incidence of b rucellosis is about 0.5-25%, mainly manifested as meningitis. In this study, we review the multisystem complications of brucellosis with the aim of improving early diagnosis, timely treatment and prevention of long-term complications.