ABSTRACT
Back ground: Human brucellosis is a major debilitating zoonotic disease. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella Methods: The serum antibody titres to Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus of one thousand febrile patients; randomly selected from Khartoum; Khartoum North and Omdurman Teaching Hospitals; were estimated by the STAT. Results: Eighty nine (8.9) of the febrile patients had brucellosis. The average age of brucellosis patient was 43.9 years. Sixty three (70.8) of the brucellosis patients were males; and 26 (29.2) were females. Fifty four (60.7) of them had significant titres to Brucella melitensis while 23 (25.8) patients had significant titres to Brucella abortus. Twelve (13.5) patients had significant titres to both Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus. The average diagnostic delay of brucellosis in this study was 88.6 days. Conclusion: Brucellosis was found to be misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid fever. Animal contact was found to be a significant risk factor
Subject(s)
Brucellosis/diagnosis , Brucellosis/etiology , Prevalence , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
A study of differentials causing flu-like symptoms (malaria; typhoid; streptococcal infections and rheumatoid arthritis) in 488 patients from a pastoralist area is presented. The potential usefulness of clinical signs; symptoms and diagnostic tests in ruling-in or ruling-out these diseases was investigated in the District hospital and three outlying health dispensaries. For each patient a detailed clinical history plus diagnostic test for brucellosis; typhoid; streptococcal infections and rheumatoid arthritis; and for some patients malaria were conducted. Incidence levels of these diseases were estimated using laboratory test results; brucellosis; 13; typhoid; 40: streptococcal infections; 6malaria; 9: and rheumatoid arthritis; 10. Brucellosis could not be differentiated clinically from the other flu-like diseases but rheumatoid arthritis could