Çocukluk çağı Brusellozunda Hematolojik Bulgular: Türkiye’nin Güneydoğusundan bir analiz.

Objective: Brucellosis is an endemic zoonosis in Turkey. There are limited studies on the haematological findings of brucellosis in children. This study aimed to evaluate the haematological findings of childhood brucellosis. Methods: The patients' medical records referred to the paediatric haematology outpatient clinic of a hospital in Southeast Turkey due to cytopenia and diagnosed with brucellosis were reviewed retrospectively. Results: Seventeen patients with a mean age of 9.2±3.7 years (range: 3-14) were included in this study. Patients were mostly male (n=11; 64.7%). Fever and arthralgia were the most frequent clinical signs reported (n=9, 52.9% and n=6, 35.3%, respectively). The most common haematological finding was anemia in 11 patients (64.7%), followed by thrombocytopenia in 10 patients (58.8%) and leukopenia in five patients (29.4%). Pancytopenia was found in three patients (17.6%). The median haemoglobin level, platelet and leukocyte count were 10.8 g/dL (IQR 9.5-12.8), 148×109/L (IQR 117-167) and 5.4×109/L (IQR 3.9-7.2), respectively. C-reactive protein (CRP) was high in six patients (6/9; 66.6%), and ferritin was elevated in five (5/14; 35.7%) patients. Elevation of alanine transaminase (ALT) was found in only two patients (2/16; 12.5%). The patients' median serum Brucella agglutination titre was 1:1280 (IQR 320-1280). None of the patients had a complication requiring hospitalization, and all patients received a combined antibiotic therapy for six weeks. Haematological abnormalities improved four weeks after initial treatment. Results: Haematological findings associated with brucellosis are generally not serious, and complete recovery can be achieved with antibiotic treatment for brucellosis alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]