Brucellosis and the gastrointestinal tract - The odd couple

Though pathogenetically qualifying as an enteric fever, the gastroenterological manifestations of Brucella in humans are relatively uncommon. We present a typical case of Brucellosis with gastrointestinal symptoms and review these by organ involvement, ranging from the mild nonspecific, such as diarrhea and abdominal pain, to the pathologically distinct hepatic lesions, and to the rare colonic, pancreatic, and peritoneal involvement. The limited indications for diagnostic procedures, such as endoscopy and liver biopsy are discussed.