A report of two cases of brucellar sacroiliitis without systemic manifestations in Greece

Abstract

We report 2 cases of sacroiliitis in a 13-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy as the sole manifestation of Brucella melitensis infection. This is a rare condition. Throughout the course of the disease, neither the girl nor the boy had other signs of brucellosis. Sacroiliitis was documented by positive results of technetium 99m scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging. Isolation of B. melitensis from the blood and positive results of serologic methods established the diagnosis. Treatment consisted of bed rest and a combination of rifampin plus co-trimoxazole with gentamicin. Brucellar sacroiliitis is uncommon in children, and accurate diagnosis is frequently delayed because of nonspecific clinical presentation. In the appropriate clinical setting, we suggest that the index of suspicion for brucellar sacroiliitis be raised in an unusual joint, especially in endemic regions.