Neurobrucellosis: a clinical analysis of 30 cases / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical features of neurobrucellosis and improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.Methods The epidemiological information,clinical manifestation,laboratory examination,and imaging characteristics of 30 cases with neurobrucellosis were summarized retrospectively.Results There were 23 men,seven women in this group of cases.The mean age was 43 years.There were six cases with definite history of brucellosis,24 with exposure history of cattle and sheep or their diary products.Brucella blood serum agglutination tests were all positive in 30 cases.Meningitis or meningoencephalitis (29 cases),spinal cord lesion (20 cases) and auditory nerve's damage (18 cases) were the most common forms of neurobrucellosis in these patients.In the cerebral spinal fluid inspection tests,there were 29 cases with increasing leukocyte ((10-599) × 106/L),30 cases with elevated protein (0.5-4.0 g/L),29 cases with decreased glucose (0.8-2.6 mmol/L) in this group of patients.There were 17 cases with white matter lesion on cranial magnetic imaging.The combinations of doxycycline,rifampin and ceftriaxone sodium were given to most cases.The prognosis was good in most cases.Conclusions Neurobrucellosis is not unusual clinically,clinical presentation of which varies greatly.The most common form is meningitis or meningoencephalitis,whereas spinal cord damage and hearing damage are also common.Patients who come from epidemic area and develop unexplained neurological symptoms should be screened and distinguished with neurobrucellosis.