A Rare Case of Splenic Infarction Due to Brucellosis.
Brucellosis is an endemic zoonotic infection in Turkey, capable of involving multiple organs and systems. While systemic symptoms are common, focal organ involvement may also occur. Isolated splenic infarction is a rare complication. We report a 27-year-old man with a one-week history of left upper abdominal pain, without fever or weight loss. Physical examination revealed closed Traube's space and left upper quadrant tenderness. Laboratory tests showed leukocytosis, thrombocytosis, and elevated transaminases. Brucella tube agglutination test was positive at 1/640. Abdominal CT demonstrated multiple hypodense, subcapsular, wedge-shaped lesions consistent with splenic infarction. Infective endocarditis, portal or splenic vein thrombosis, and rheumatologic disorders were excluded. The patient received a 12-week antibiotic regimen, resulting in clinical, laboratory, and radiological resolution. Splenic infarction secondary to brucellosis is infrequently described. Reported cases usually present with fever, abdominal pain, or systemic manifestations. Uniquely, our patient had only localized abdominal pain without fever or systemic features, underscoring the variable clinical spectrum of brucellosis. This case emphasizes the need to consider brucellosis in the differential diagnosis of splenic infarction, especially in endemic areas.
Authors
- Selmin Köse (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4958-6228)
- Osman Köse (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4070-6676)
- Hazal Erdem
Institutions
- State Hospital (GB)
- Sivas State Hospital (TR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- PubMed
- Published
- 2025-12-01
- Primary Topic
- Brucella: diagnosis, epidemiology, treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00