Objectives: We performed an epidemiological survey to ascertain the clinical features of brucellosis in Lebanon.
Patients and methods: Between 1994 and 1998, 63 patients were seen at the Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital in Beirut Lebanon. Diagnostic criteria were brucellar agglutinins at a titer > or = 1/160 with symptoms suggestive of brucellosis in the absence of another diagnosis. We also conducted a survey in 1138 cases registered by the Ministry of Health during the same period.
Results: Among the 1137 cases, 40% of the patients were over 60 and only 16% were under 14. The overall male to female ratio was 1.01 and 69% of the patients were seen in spring and summer. Among the 63 patients, 10 were pediatric cases. The disease was acute in 41 (65%), subacute in 21 (33%) and chronic in 1. The main presenting symptoms were fever, sweating, easy fatigability and joint pain. Osteoarticular involvement was the most prevalent complication (25%), predominantly spondylitis. Among the blood tests, relative lymphocytosis was significantly more frequent in children than adults (80% versus 13%, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Brucellosis is still an endemic disease in Lebanon and should be considered notably in patients presenting with prolonged fever, and articular and neurological manifestations.