Ocular complications associated with brucellosis in an endemic area

To report the ocular manifestations associated with brucellosis in an endemic area. We prospectively evaluated 147 patients with the diagnosis of brucellosis between May 1996 to May 2000 and recorded the ocular and systemic findings. The diagnosis was based on clinical findings, positive serological and bacteriological tests (Brucella agglutination test: over 1/160 titer, blood culture). Thirty-eight patients (26.0%) with brucellosis had ocular complications: conjunctivitis in 26 (17.7%), anterior uveitis in six (4.1%), posterior uveitis in one (0.7%), dacryoadenitis in two (1.4%), episcleritis in three (2.1%). Three of the seven patients with uveitis had spondylitis associated with brucellosis. Osteoarticular complications in brucellosis were more frequent in the patients with ocular involvement though the difference was not statistically significant compared with patients without ocular involvement. Ocular manifestations are frequent in brucellosis so an ophthalmologic examination should be routinely performed in patients with brucellosis in endemic areas.