Adalet Aypak1, Cenk Aypak2, Yasemin Bayram3. 1. Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology. 2. Department of Family Medicine, Van Gevaş State Hospital. 3. Microbiology Laboratory, Van Training and Research Hospital, Van, Turkey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Brucellosis produces a variety of non-specific hematological abnormalities. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hematological findings in childhood brucellosis. METHODS: Medical records of children with brucellosis admitted to a tertiary hospital in a 1 year period, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients (mean age, 14.5 ± 3.3 years) were diagnosed with brucellosis. The most common hematological finding was thrombocytopenia (n = 11, 15.9%). Thrombocytosis was detected in five patients (7.3%), leukopenia in four (5.8%), anemia in three (4.3%), and bicytopenia in three (4.3%). None of the patients had pancytopenia. Blood culture was positive for Brucella spp. in 41 patients (59.4%). Among those patients with positive blood culture, six (14.6%) had serum agglutination test titer ≤1/80. Platelet (PLT) count was significantly lower in the bacteremia-positive group. The OR (95%CI) of bacteremia for PLT cut-off 200,000/mm(3) was 0.148 (95%CI: 0.031-0.718) and relative risk was 1.718 (95%CI: 1.244-2.372; P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Brucellosis should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of isolated thrombocytopenia in pediatric patients from endemic areas.
BACKGROUND:Brucellosis produces a variety of non-specific hematological abnormalities. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hematological findings in childhood brucellosis. METHODS: Medical records of children with brucellosis admitted to a tertiary hospital in a 1 year period, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients (mean age, 14.5 ± 3.3 years) were diagnosed with brucellosis. The most common hematological finding was thrombocytopenia (n = 11, 15.9%). Thrombocytosis was detected in five patients (7.3%), leukopenia in four (5.8%), anemia in three (4.3%), and bicytopenia in three (4.3%). None of the patients had pancytopenia. Blood culture was positive for Brucella spp. in 41 patients (59.4%). Among those patients with positive blood culture, six (14.6%) had serum agglutination test titer ≤1/80. Platelet (PLT) count was significantly lower in the bacteremia-positive group. The OR (95%CI) of bacteremia for PLT cut-off 200,000/mm(3) was 0.148 (95%CI: 0.031-0.718) and relative risk was 1.718 (95%CI: 1.244-2.372; P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS:Brucellosis should be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of isolated thrombocytopenia in pediatric patients from endemic areas.