Jaundice of unknown origin: Remember zoonoses!

Zoonotic diseases are randomly remembered in the differential diagnosis of jaundice of unknown origin. We present four characteristic cases of jaundice attributed to brucellosis and Coxiella burnetii infection and discuss the various pathogenetic pathways implicated in each case. We present a brief review of the relevant literature and, in an era of increasing subspecialization, underline the importance of viewing the "whole picture".