Abstract

SEROPREVALENCE OF BRUCELLA IN SPINAL RADICULAR SYNDROMS, AND BACKACHE

Dr. Khichar Shubhakaran

ABSTRACT

Introduction: This area is an endemic zone for Brucella. Economy of middle to lower class is dependent on cattle, sheep, goat etc., besides agriculture. Sero-prevalence is reported from low to quite high. Awareness about this disease is still less. There are quite scarcity of literature on sero-prevalence of this disease in this area specially in patients with back pain and spinal radicular syndromes. So we conducted a prospective observational study to see the sero-prevalence of Brucella in patients with spinal radicular symptoms and backache. Methods: Consecutive 100 patients with radiculopathy or backache coming to neurology out patient department of Dr. S. N. Medical College, Jodhpur, from January 2016 to June 2016, were screened for serum Brucella tube agglutination test. Other relevant investigations were done as per the need of the patient's condition. Supportive, symptomatic and specific treatment was given on individual basis depending on the condition of the patient and test results. Results: Male female ratio was 1:1, Brucella melitensis was much more common than Brucella abortus. Furthermore the Brucella melitensis was much more common in females. It was more common in young population and was not found above the age of 60 years. Conclusion: Brucella sero-prevalence in our study was 23 %, which requires adequate measures to tackle the endemic disease very seriously which many a times is missed because of varying and unusual feature of the brucella infection and lack of awareness among the public and health care workers about this disease.

Keywords: Brucella, Abortus, Melitensis, Seroprevalence, Radiculopathy, Backacke.