Abstract

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: BrucellosisIs a very common disease in Iraq the manifestations of the disease are different from one persom to the other in which the clinical diagnosis needs a thorugh study and documented precise investigations OBJECTIVE: To describe selected possible for acquiring brucellosis in Diala governorate and compare the relative frequency of selected clinical features between pediatric and adult age groups. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was done on a sample of 108 patients with an established diagnosis of Brucellosis admitted to Baquba General Hospital during the period extending from May 2001 to June 2003. RESULTS: Males constituted about two thirds of the study sample (65.7%) About a fifty (20.4%) of the study sample were in the pediatric age group (<16 years of age). Raw milk or unpasteurized cheese and raw liver was among the risky for acquiring the infection reported by 67% and 58% of the study sample respectively. Animal contact (Agricultural activities) was reported by 59.3%. Among pediatric age group, the most frequent clinical features were: Spinal tenderness, abdominal pain, arthralgia, sweating aches lack of energy and arthritis. While among adults: Arthralgia, headache, aches, sweating, lack of energy, spinal tenderness, chills, fever, loss of appetite and arthritis were among the most frequently reported symptoms. Hepatosplenomegally is rarely reported and epididymoorchitis is a frequent complication of brucellosis in children CONCLUSION: This result showed a male preponderanc in comparison to female Patients and this probably due to occupational exposure