Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of 140 children with acute brucellosis
10.3760/cma.j.cn231583-20230711-00002
- VernacularTitle:140例急性期布鲁氏菌病患儿的流行病学及临床特征
- Author:
Chang SHU
1
;
Shan LIAO
;
Jianfei SHI
;
Xiaofei WANG
;
Xiaoguai LIU
Author Information
1. 陕西省西安市儿童医院感染三科，西安 710003
- Keywords:
Brucellosis;
Child;
Epidemiology;
Clinical characteristics
- From:
Chinese Journal of Endemiology
2024;43(10):835-839
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To analyze the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children with acute brucellosis, providing reference for early diagnosis and standardized treatment of brucellosis in children.Methods:The data of 140 children with acute brucellosis at Xi'an Children's Hospital from April 2012 to October 2021 were collected. Their general information, epidemiological characteristics, clinical manifestations, laboratory and imaging examinations, treatment and prognosis were analyzed retrospectively.Results:Among 140 children with acute brucellosis, there were 78 males and 62 females, with a median age of onset and interquartile range of 3.4 (1.8, 5.8) years; 88.6% (124/140) of these children came from rural areas. The peak season for the onset of brucellosis was summer (47.1%, 66/140); 92.9% (130/140) had a confirmed epidemiological history; 7.9% (11/140) of the affected children were latent carriers. Among the 129 children with obvious clinical manifestations, fever accounted for 99.2% (128/129), hyperhidrosis accounted for 52.7% (68/129), and involvement of the reticuloendothelial system, joints, and nervous system accounted for 46.5% (60/129), 44.2% (57/129), and 6.2% (8/129), respectively, joint effusion accounted for 64.9% (37/57). All patients tested positive for tiger red plate agglutination test; 97.9% (137/140) of the patients had a serum tube agglutination test titer ≥1 ∶ 100. Positive blood culture accounted for 85.7% (120/140). The positive detection rate of serum tube agglutination test was higher than that of blood culture (χ 2 = 13.69, P < 0.001). Brucella was cultured from the cerebrospinal fluid of 8 children with concomitant encephalitis. The initial treatment plan for all children was oral compound sulfamethoxazole/doxycycline + rifampicin. In cases of arthritis, osteomyelitis or encephalitis, third-generation cephalosporins or meropenem were used intravenously at the same time. Dexamethasone was used for patients suffered from bilateral abductor nerve damage. All patients were cured without recurrence. Two cases had sequelae, namely introverted vision in the right eye and knee joint movement disorders. Conclusions:Most children with acute brucellosis have a confirmed epidemiological history and are mainly distributed in rural areas. The main clinical manifestation is fever, and joint involvement is also common. Standardized treatment can cure them.
