Brucellar spine infection--four case reports.

Brucellosis can be difficult to diagnose because of the nonspecific and variable clinical picture. This systemic disease is still an important public health problem in the Mediterranean Basin. These four cases of brucellar spine infection originated from rural areas around Aydin, Turkey. The systemic complaints of fever, profuse sweating, malaise, polyarthromyalgia, and weight loss indicated the final diagnosis of brucellosis and presumptive diagnoses were made based on agglutination testing for brucellosis. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging indicated signs of bone infection and soft tissue involvement. Good outcomes were obtained with prolonged treatment with antibrucellar drugs including streptomycin, rifampicin, and tetracycline. Early diagnosis is important and prompt antibrucellar chemotherapy is effective in most cases, but prolonged follow up is necessary in all patients with spinal brucellosis.