Neurobrucellosis in a 9-year-old girl

Brucellosis is a zoonotic multi-organ infectious disease most frequent in developing countries. Neurobrucellosis a quite rare but serious complication of brucellosis in the pediatric age group manifests with different neurological symptoms and signs. In the present case a 9-year-old girl was referred to our centre with a 9-months history of headache and back pain, facial nerve palsy and right upper limb weakness. She had undergone ventriculoperitoneal shunting surgery due to communicating hydrocephalus. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a spinal extramedullary intradural mass, two epidural collections in the cervical spine and thickening/abnormal enhancement in the basal cisterns with invasion to medulla and pons. The patient ' s serum and cerebrospinal serologic tests were found positive for brucellosis. The patient was successfully treated by anti-brucella antibiotic therapy.
Source: Journal of Radiology Case Reports - Category: Radiology Source Type: research