A case of epididymo-orchitis and paravertebral abscess due to brucellosis

Brucellosis is a zoonotic infection involving many systems and it is widespread in Turkey. Involvement of muscular and skeletal systems is a common complication of brucellosis. Involvement of genitourinary system (epididymoorchitis) is a rarer complication (Sozen TH. Infeksiyon Hastaliklari. 1996; pp. 486-493; Edward J. Young. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, Vol. 2, 5th edn. 2000; pp. 22386-22393). Brucellosis accompanied by abscess formation in the vertebra is frequently seen in the elderly and patients with a chronic disease (Sozen TH. Infeksiyon Hastaliklari. 1996; pp. 486-493; Edward J. Young. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, Vol. 2, 5th edn. 2000; pp. 22386-22393; Af-Eissa YA, Kambal AM et al. Ann Rheum Dis 1990; 49: 896-900; Colmenore JD, Cisneron JM, Orjuela DL et al. Infection 1992; 20: 38-42). Brucellosis accompanied by paravertebral abscess and epididymo-orchitis is extremely rare. In this report, we present a case of epididymo-orchitis and paravertebral abscess due to brucellosis. (C) 2003 The British Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.