A man with recurrent fever, arthritis, and rashes-brucellosis? A case report

BMC Infect Dis. 2020 Jan 7;20(1):18. doi: 10.1186/s12879-019-4746-0.

Abstract

Background: We report a rare case of chronic brucellosis accompanied with myelodysplastic syndrome and neutrophilic dermatosis, which to the best of our knowledge, has never been reported.

Case presentation: A young man was admitted to our hospital complaining of recurrent fever, arthritis, rashes and anemia. He had been diagnosed with brucellosis 6 years prior and treated with multiple courses of antibiotics. He was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome and neutrophilic dermatosis following bone marrow puncture and skin biopsy. After anti-brucellosis treatment and glucocorticoid therapy, the symptoms improved.

Conclusions: Clinicians should consider noninfectious diseases when a patient who has been diagnosed with an infectious disease exhibits changing symptoms.

Keywords: Brucellosis; Myelodysplastic syndrome; Neutrophilic dermatosis; Sweet’s syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Arthritis / complications*
  • Biopsy
  • Brucellosis / complications*
  • Brucellosis / drug therapy
  • Chronic Disease
  • Exanthema / complications*
  • Glucocorticoids / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Myelodysplastic Syndromes / complications*
  • Relapsing Fever / complications*
  • Skin / pathology
  • Sweet Syndrome / complications*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Glucocorticoids