Thyroiditis due to Brucella Melitensis

Abstract

A case of thyroiditis due to Brucella Melitensis is reported. Brucellosis anticipated by about two months the onset of the characteristic symptoms of acute thyroiditis. Cultures of specimens obtained by fine needle aspiration biopsy and microbiological investigations allowed isolation and identification of the germ. This observation allowed the recognition that thyroid gland might harbored secondary localization of a prolonged brucellosis. A microbiological study (the protocol of which is proposed) of specimen obtained by fine needle aspiration biopsy should be performed in the presence of symptoms and signs of an inflammatory process associated to an acute swelling of the thyroid gland.

Acute Thyroiditis Associated with Brucellosis: A Case Report

“…Furthermore, all cases described show age distribution in a range from 19 to 87 years of age [3,4]. Thyroiditis has appeared in our patient two weeks after the onset of the first symptoms and signs compatible with brucellosis, similarly to a few other cases [10,13]. In our case, besides the thyroiditis, the patient also had concomitant involvement of two peripheral joints.…”

“…Brucella thyroiditis is more often observed in women [3,4,5,8,9,10,11,13]. In men, as in our case, it is very rare [6,7,14] and the reason for such gender distribution still remains unclear.…”

“…It is an extremely rare condition and less than 20 cases are reported in the literature, almost exclusively as case reports. In the descriptions, predominated cases with thyroid gland abscess [4][5][6][7][8], but also acute [9][10][11],…”

Transient dyslipidemia in childhood brucellosis

“…The endocrine system is composed of highly vascularized organs and may be expected to harbor the bacterium as a secondary localization, although the literature contains little information concerning patterns of involvement. The thyroid gland has been reported to be involved with a presentation of thyroiditis with or after the onset of systemic brucellosis [7,9]. Thyroid abscesses are a rarer presentation finding [25].…”

“…Almost all organs and tissues can be affected, but data for endocrine organ involvement are limited [6]. Thyroiditis, pancreatitis, and activated hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) have been associated with brucellosis in adult studies [7][8][9][10][11]. The pattern of lipids in the blood is known as the lipid profile.…”