Osteoarticular complications of brucellosis: a study of 169 cases

Rev Infect Dis. 1987 May-Jun;9(3):531-43. doi: 10.1093/clinids/9.3.531.

Abstract

Of 452 patients with brucellosis, 169 (111 male and 58 female) had osteoarticular complications. Brucella melitensis was isolated from the blood in 7.7% of the cases. Fever, chills, arthralgia, backache, high levels of C-reactive protein, positive rheumatoid factor, and splenomegaly were more frequent in osteoarticular brucellosis than in nonosteoarticular disease. Arthritis occurred in the hip joint in 90 cases (53%), knees in 61 (36%), sacroiliacs in 33 (20%), ankles in 25 (15%), elbows in nine (5.3%), shoulders in eight (5%), wrists in six (3.5%), and sternoclavicular arthritis occurred in three cases (1.8%). Spondylitis occurred in 10 cases (6%), osteomyelitis in four (2.4%), and tendinitis or bursitis in two (1.2%). Treatment with tetracycline or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) alone (four to eight weeks) or in combination with streptomycin (two to four weeks) resulted in a relapse rate of 16.6%. No relapses occurred in seven patients treated with repeated four- to six-weeks courses of rifampin plus tetracycline or TMP-SMZ plus streptomycin.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Arthritis, Infectious / drug therapy
  • Arthritis, Infectious / etiology*
  • Brucellosis / complications*
  • Brucellosis / drug therapy
  • Bursitis / drug therapy
  • Bursitis / etiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Combinations / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Osteomyelitis / drug therapy
  • Osteomyelitis / etiology*
  • Rifampin / therapeutic use
  • Spondylitis / drug therapy
  • Spondylitis / etiology*
  • Streptomycin / therapeutic use
  • Sulfamethoxazole / therapeutic use
  • Tendinopathy / drug therapy
  • Tendinopathy / etiology
  • Tetracycline / therapeutic use
  • Trimethoprim / therapeutic use
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination

Substances

  • Drug Combinations
  • Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
  • Trimethoprim
  • Tetracycline
  • Sulfamethoxazole
  • Rifampin
  • Streptomycin