Predicting Factors of Brucella melitensis Bacteremia in Children Admitted with Brucellosis

Abstract Objective  Brucellosis is the most common zoonotic disease. Isolation of Brucella melitensis in blood culture is accepted as the gold standard for diagnosis. This study aims to determine the predictive factors of B. melitensis bacteremia in pediatric patients followed up with brucellosis. Methods  Two-hundred twenty pediatric brucellosis patients were included in the study. The epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded. Results  The patients comprised 63.2% males and 36.8% females with a mean age of 10.45 ±  4.36 years (range, 1–18 years), and 70.5% were younger than 14 years old. B. melitensis was isolated in the blood culture in 33.6% of patients. In the epidemiological history of pediatric patients with bacteremic brucellosis, there was a history of dealing with, owning, or working with livestock. In patients with brucellosis, fever and weight loss, hepatomegaly, and arthritis were more common in patients with bacteremia than in those without bacteremia. Among laboratory findings, leukopenia, low albumin value, and high C-reactive protein were calculated as predictors of Brucella bacteremia in patients with brucellosis. Conclusion  In regions where brucellosis is endemic, serum agglutination tests may be positive without clinical findings. Brucellosis can mimic many other diseases, so the definitive diagnosis is demonstrated by bacteremia. Blood cultures should be taken in patients with predictive factors suggestive of brucellosis.