Brucellar spondylodiscitis mimicking tuberculosis

Brucellosis is primarily a disease of domestic and wild animals that can be transmitted to humans (zoonosis). Infection with Brucella spp. continues to pose human health risk globally. Brucellosis in endemic and nonendemic regions remains a diagnostic puzzle due to misleading nonspecific manifestations and increasing unusual presentations. It may affect any organ of the body with clinical manifestations that include fever, joint pains, loss of weight, sweating, cough, sciatica, splenic enlargement, liver enlargement, orchitis, etc. Fewer than 10% of human cases of brucellosis may be clinically recognized and treated or reported. Routine serological surveillance is not practiced even in Brucella endemic countries. Whereas, this should be a part of laboratory testing coupled with a high index of clinical suspicion to improve the level of case detection. Rapid and reliable, sensitive and specific, easy to perform and semi-automated detection systems for Brucella spp. are urgently needed to allow early diagnosis and adequate antibiotic therapy in time to decrease morbidity and mortality.