Clinical aspects of chronic brucellosis.

Twenty-one patients with brucellosis wereinvestigated. Four patients with the classical manifestations of acute brucellosis presented no problems in diagnosis. The other 17 patients suffered from chronic disease and had no history of any acute episode of brucellosis. The most common symptoms in this group were tiredness, fatigue, depression, arthralgia and muscular pains. Abdominal pain and pain in the temperomandibular joints were marked in some patients. Most of these patients had been receiving psychiatric treatment. Clinical examination was largely negative, but lymphadenopathy was found in 9 cases. Brucella meningo-encephalitis was diagnosed in 7 patients who complained of severe headache. Problems in the diagnosis of chronic brucellosis with an insidious onset are discussed.