PMID: 8454438Jan 1, 1993Paper

Effect of age and duration of disease on the clinical manifestations of brucellosis. A study of 73 consecutive patients in Israel

Israel Journal of Medical Sciences
A M YinnonC Hershko

Abstract

We describe our experience with 73 patients diagnosed with brucellosis during the years 1979-91 at two Jerusalem hospitals: Hadassah Mount Scopus (37 patients from 1979-1984) and Shaare Zedek (36 patients from 1979-1991). The patients included 32 children less than 14 years old and 41 adults; 70 of the patients were non-Jews. In all cases the pathogen was Brucella melitensis. The high proportion of children and the equal sex distribution was quite different from the age and sex distribution of brucellosis in Western countries where it is more common in adult males, and similar to that reported from other near-Eastern countries where household dairy products, and not occupational exposure, are the most common source of infection. The short duration of disease (< 2 weeks) prior to diagnosis in 70% of the patients is attributed to the ready availability of appropriate medical care, and a very high index of suspicion for brucellosis in the Jerusalem non-Jewish population. Abdominal symptoms were more common in adults, whereas enlarged lymph nodes and liver, skin rash and pharyngitis were more frequently observed in children. Some of these differences may be attributed to the very short duration of disease in most children at the ti...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Brucellosis (ASM)

Brucellosis is a bacterial infection caused by members of the genus brucella and remains one of the world's major zoonotic diseases. Discover the latest research on Brucellosis here.

Brucellosis

Brucellosis is a bacterial infection caused by members of the genus brucella and remains one of the world's major zoonotic diseases. Discover the latest research on Brucellosis here.