Childhood brucellosis: a deceptive infectious disease.

Human brucellosis is a multisystem disease that may notoriously mimic many other illnesses leading to misdiagnosis and increased morbidity. Six pediatric cases of brucellosis who had no epidemiologic evidence of the infection escaped early or correct recognition. The diagnosis of brucellosis was later made on the basis of significant brucella serology and positive blood or bone marrow culture. In endemic areas, a high index of suspicion should prevail in the evaluation of patients with vague or unexplained symptoms.