Retrospective evalution of pediatric Brucella patients followed at pediatric infection disease clinic between years 2004-2010 and screening the households members of acute patients for occuring Brucella infection

Objective: In this study we aimed to analyse demographic and clinic properties, laboratory findings and efficiency of medical therapy of pediatric patients with Brucellosis followed at Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Infection Diseases out patient and in patient clinic, and screening the households members of acute patients for occuring Brucella Infection.Materials and methods: Records of 65 pediatric patients with brucellosis followed at Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Infection Diseases out patient and in patient clinic between January 2004-September 2010 were analysed retrospectively. Out of 65 patients of which 24 new diagnosed household members? demographic and clinic properties were recorded. Serum tube aglutination test of all patients and household members were analysed at Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine Central Laboratory. The statistical analysis were made at Çukurova University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistic.Results: 38 of 65 patients (58.5%) were male and 27 of 65 patients (41.5%) were female. Patients? age range was 9-198 months and mean age was 103,78±52,97 months. Elapsed time until brucella diagnosis was range between 3 ? 150 days and mean diagnosis duration was 21 days. The most common symptom was fever that observed in 53 (81.5%) patients. The most common physical examination finding was hepatosplenomegaly that observed in 13 (20%) patients. There was statistically significant decrease between seropositivity of brucella, ESH and CRP values before and after the treatment (p<0,001). Success rate of triple antibiotics treatment regimen during six weeks was 96,8%. Seropositivity rate was found 18,2% in the household members of acute patients.Conclusion: In our region, evaluating family history for brucella, raw milk and/or dairy products consumption in patients admitting to hospital with fever, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia or bicytopenia has an important value for early diagnosis.Clinical and serological analyses of Brucella patients? household members may provide early diagnosis and treatment of additional unrecognized brusellozis cases. Doing this study in a large segment of the population at risk in endemic countries for brucella like our country is critically important to provide early diagnosis and allow for early treatment.