A Case of Brucellosis Presenting with Severe Thrombocytopenia.

Publication/Presentation Date

3-5-2003

Abstract

Thrombocytopenia is one of the rare hematologic complication of brucellosis. Herein a case of brucellosis with severe thrombocytopenia was reported. The patient was admitted to hematology service with epistaxis, ecchymoses, fever, thrombocytopenia (0.6 x 103/μL) and anemia. His initial diagnosis was idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Corticosteroid treatment was started and erythrocyte and platelet suspensions were transfused. Despite this treatment clinical symptoms and laboratory disorders were not improved. No significant pathology was detected in the examination of bone marrow aspiration. On the seventh day, Brucella abortus was yielded from his blood cultures. Steroid was stopped and rifampicin plus doxycycline started. His clinical symptoms were disappeared and laboratory findings improved (thrombocyte count: 205 x 103/μL) at the second week of the antibiotic treatment. This case was interesting showing us that thrombocyte count might decrease to very low levels in brucellosis. So that, especially in the endemic areas, brucellosis should be kept in mind for the etiology of fever and thrombocytopenia.

Volume

20

Issue

1

First Page

43

Last Page

45

ISSN

1300-7777

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

27265335

Department(s)

Department of Medicine

Document Type

Article

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