Brucellosis among hospitalized febrile patients in northern Tanzania.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Acute and convalescent serum samples were collected from febrile inpatients identified at two hospitals in Moshi, Tanzania. Confirmed brucellosis was defined as a positive blood culture or a ≥ 4-fold increase in microagglutination test titer, and probable brucellosis was defined as a single reciprocal titer ≥ 160. Among 870 participants enrolled in the study, 455 (52.3%) had paired sera available. Of these, 16 (3.5%) met criteria for confirmed brucellosis. Of 830 participants with ≥ 1 serum sample, 4 (0.5%) met criteria for probable brucellosis. Brucellosis was associated with increased median age (P = 0.024), leukopenia (odds ratio [OR] 7.8, P = 0.005), thrombocytopenia (OR 3.9, P = 0.018), and evidence of other zoonoses (OR 3.2, P = 0.026). Brucellosis was never diagnosed clinically, and although all participants with brucellosis received antibacterials or antimalarials in the hospital, no participant received standard brucellosis treatment. Brucellosis is an underdiagnosed and untreated cause of febrile disease among hospitalized adult and pediatric patients in northern Tanzania.
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Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Bouley, AJ; Biggs, HM; Stoddard, RA; Morrissey, AB; Bartlett, JA; Afwamba, IA; Maro, VP; Kinabo, GD; Saganda, W; Cleaveland, S; Crump, JA
Published Date
- December 2012
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 87 / 6
Start / End Page
- 1105 - 1111
PubMed ID
- 23091197
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC3516083
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1476-1645
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.4269/ajtmh.2012.12-0327
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- United States