Pancytopenia secondary to a Brucella abortus infection

A rare presentation

Abstract

Brucellosis is an anthropozoonotic disease that is very important in healthcare, with varying clinical and paraclinical characteristics that make it difficult to diagnose. We present the case of a 30-year-old patient from a rural area with nonspecific symptoms and physical exam findings of ascites, hepatosplenomegaly and skin disorders. Laboratory tests showed pancytopenia, abnormal liver function, and elevated acute phase reactants, and imaging studies revealed hepatosplenomegaly. With the suspicion of an associated infection, immunology and serology tests were run, showing a positive Rose Bengal Test and Brucella abortus-positive febrile antigens at a 1:640 dilution. Pancytopenia secondary to a Brucella infection is a rare laboratory characteristic which makes the diagnosis even more difficult, worsening the epidemiological notification of this disease.