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Brucellosis spondylodiscitis: case report

A case of spondylodiscitis due to Brucella with systematic manifestation of the disease, in a 56-year-old male patient who was a farmer, is reported. The diagnosis was made from serological tests, with a titer of 1/160. The blood culture was positive and the blood sedimentation rate was high. Radiological abnormalities showed spondylodiscitis at the T8/T9 level that were compatible with this disease. The patient was treated with streptomycin at 1g IM/day for 15 days, and doxycycline plus rifampicin for six weeks, with a clinical improvement in the condition. Vertebral involvement in brucellosis is a complication of variable occurrence in the literature. However, it is considered to be infrequent and difficult to diagnose, particularly in regions with high prevalence of tuberculosis, given that this may mimic conditions of brucellosis. Attention is drawn to this rare case of spondylodiscitis due to brucellosis, given the need for early diagnosis and treatment in order to avoid possible sequelae.

Brucellosis; Spondylodiscitis; Vertebral involvement by Brucella sp; Treatment


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