Neurobrucellosis in a 9-year-old girl

J Radiol Case Rep. 2019 Dec 31;13(12):13-19. doi: 10.3941/jrcr.v13i12.3734. eCollection 2019 Dec.

Abstract

Brucellosis is a zoonotic multi-organ infectious disease most frequent in developing countries. Neurobrucellosis a quite rare but serious complication of brucellosis in the pediatric age group manifests with different neurological symptoms and signs. In the present case a 9-year-old girl was referred to our centre with a 9-months history of headache and back pain, facial nerve palsy and right upper limb weakness. She had undergone ventriculoperitoneal shunting surgery due to communicating hydrocephalus. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a spinal extramedullary intradural mass, two epidural collections in the cervical spine and thickening/abnormal enhancement in the basal cisterns with invasion to medulla and pons. The patient's serum and cerebrospinal serologic tests were found positive for brucellosis. The patient was successfully treated by anti-brucella antibiotic therapy.

Keywords: Brucellosis; MRI; Nervous System; Neurobrucellosis; Pediatric.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Back Pain / microbiology
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging*
  • Brain / microbiology
  • Brucellosis / diagnosis*
  • Central Nervous System Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
  • Child
  • Facial Paralysis / microbiology
  • Female
  • Headache / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Muscle Weakness / microbiology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed