ISSN 2360-7920
Abstract
Accepted 24th May 2014
The aim of this study was to report the epidemiologic, clinical features and imaging findings, for a series of brucellosis patients in Kuwait. Patients and methods: This is a retrospective analytic study, data obtained from medical records of brucellosis patients (between 1st January 2008 and 31st December 2012). The investigation involved 220 patients (182 males and 38 females, mean age 42 years, range 3-68), and identified 21 patients with vertebral involvement. In all patients demographic, clinical and laboratory workups data were recorded. In addition radiography, radionuclide bone scintigraphy and MRI had been for patients with spinal involvement. The disease was acute in 33.6%, subacute in 20% and chronic in 46.4% of the cases. Most of the patients aged between 15 and 45 years (73.7%), (82.7%) were male and only (17.3%) female. In 192 patients (87.3%), the source of infection was unpasteurized milk. Twenty-three (10.5%) of the infected individuals had direct contact with animals (sheep or cattle).Thirty-two (84.2%) of the 38 infected females worked at domestic duties at home. Twenty-five (11.4%) of the 220 patients were farmers, seven (3.2%) were laboratory personnel, and four (1.8%) were veterinarians. Twenty-nine patients (13.2%) had a family history of brucellosis. MRI revealed spondylodiskitis in 21 cases (9.5% of the 220 total). Human brucellosis is preventable and legislation should be enacted to strictly require pasteurization of milk and dairy products. Public health education aims to prevent the transmission of brucellosis from animals to humans. Also, serologic testing, quarantine, and other precautionary measures at frontiers to prevent importation of infected animals
Keyword: epidemiologic, clinical features, brucellosis patients, Kuwait