A Three-year Follow-up Study of Human Brucellosis in Korea.
- Author:
Chang Seop LEE
1
;
Keun Sang KWON
;
Byeong Kirl BAEK
;
Sang Won PARK
;
Heung Bum LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea. lhbmd@chonbuk.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Brucellosis;
Arthralgia;
Serology;
Relapse
- MeSH:
Agglutination Tests;
Anti-Bacterial Agents;
Arthralgia;
Brucellosis*;
Convalescence;
Diagnosis;
Fatigue;
Female;
Follow-Up Studies*;
Humans*;
Incidence;
Interviews as Topic;
Jeollabuk-do;
Korea*;
Livestock;
Male;
Prevalence;
Recurrence;
Veterinarians
- From:
Infection and Chemotherapy
2007;39(4):196-201
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The first probable case of human brucellosis in Korea was reported in 2002. Since then there has been a gradual increase in the incidence and prevalence of the disease. There has not been any long-term follow-up investigation of the clinical course and serologic profiles of the disease in Korea. The present investigation is a 3 year clinical and serologic follow-up of human brucellosis patients in Chonbuk province. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The investigation involved a total of 11 patients who were positively diagnosed with brucellosis in 2003. Clinical manifestations were evaluated either directly or via telephone interviews. The serologic follow-up was done by standard tube agglutination test (SAT). Negative sero- conversion was defined as an SAT titer less than 1:40. Early convalescence was defined as clinical manifestations of brucellosis observed within 12 months of diagnosis, and delayed convalescence was defined as clinical symptoms persisting longer than 12 months. RESULTS: A total of eleven patients (8 males and 3 females; with a mean age of 45 years) participated in the study. Ten patients were livestock workers and one was a practicing veterinarian. Three years after the initial diagnosis, chronic fatigue and arthralgia were persistently observed in more than 60% of the patients in delayed convalescence. There was no evidence of relapse or reinfection of the disease. The median duration of antibiotics treatment and serologic follow-up were 11 weeks and 22 months, respectively. Negative sero-conversion was noted between 5 and 16 months after the initiation of treatment (with a median 11 months). CONCLUSION: Although the human brucellosis patients developed chronic symptoms such as fatigue and arthralgia even after negative sero-conversion, there was no evidence of any relapse or reinfection. This may mean that antibiotic intervention is not a justifiable recommendation. We also suggest that serologic monitoring be performed for at least 16 months after the initiation of treatment.
