Jpn. J. Infect. Dis., 59 (3), 160-163, 2006
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Original Article
Presentation of Childhood Brucellosis in Western Greece
Ioannis Giannakopoulos, Nikoleta M. Nikolakopoulou, Maria Eliopoulou, Aikaterini Ellina, Febronia Kolonitsiou1 and Dimitris A. Papanastasiou*
Department of Pediatrics and 1Laboratory of Microbiology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
(Received November 18, 2005. Accepted March 28, 2006)
*Corresponding author: Mailing address: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece. Tel: +30-2610-999545C Fax: +30-2610-994533, E-mail: dimapapa@med.upatras.gr
SUMMARY: The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical and laboratory findings, treatment modalities and final outcomes of brucellosis in children and to compare our data with those of other studies performed in Greece. Fifty-two children treated for brucellosis in the Department of Pediatrics during the decade 1995-2004 were analyzed. Of the 52 children, 47 were reexamined during July 2005. Fever, arthritis or arthralgia, hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were the main findings. Young children had positive blood cultures and lower or negative antibody titers statistically significantly more often than did older children. Brucella abortus was isolated in 9 of 18 patients with positive blood cultures. Antibiotic treatment lasted for 28 days on average. There were no complications or relapses, except one, and the final outcomes were excellent.