TITLE:
Splenic Infarction Associated with Acute Brucellosis: A Case Report
AUTHORS:
Wissem Hachfi, Foued Bellazreg, Amira Atig, Nadia Ben Lasfar, Naoufel Kaabia, Amel Letaief
KEYWORDS:
Brucellosis; Splenic Infarction; Thrombocytopenia
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Infectious Diseases,
Vol.2 No.4,
December
5,
2012
ABSTRACT: We report a case of a 21-year-old shepherd who presented with fever, left hypochondrium pain and splenomegaly. Blood tests showed thrombocytopenia and high liver enzymes. Computed tomography scan revealed the presence of hypodense lesions suggestive of splenic infarction. Echocardiography was without abnormalities. Laboratory evaluation for thrombophilia was negative. A bone marrow aspiration and a bone marrow biopsy were normal. Brucella serology was positive. The patient was treated with doxycycline, rifampicin and streptomycin for 12 weeks. Fever, abdominal pain and thrombocytopenia resolved promptly. At one year of follow-up, he remained well and no splenic infarction could be detected on ultrasonography.