Neurobrucellosis and Deafness

Abstract

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by gram negative bacteria of Brucella type. This microorganism is not affected by the enzymatic phagocytosis of the hosting cell, therefore the disease process may involve many organs. The nervous system may also be stricken either centrally or peripherally. Here we present two cases of neurobrucellosis with sensorineural hearing loss which rarely associates this clinical entity. The symptoms of case-1 at the admission (11 years old, male) were hearing loss and irritability. His neurological exam revealed bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, vestibular nystagmus, positive Romberg sign and gait ataxia. Serologic tests for Brucella were positive. Case-2 was 36 years old, male patient who had complaints of gait disorder and worsening hearing loss. On his examination, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, positive Romberg sign, spastic paraparesis and Babinski pozitivity were found. His serologic tests also showed presence of positivity for Brucella screening test in blood and blocking antibodies for Brucella in CSF. In this paper, we discussed clinical diagnostic characteristics and treatment of neurobrucellosis depend on two cases.