Encephalomyelitis with hearing loss: case report on neurobrucellosis

• Published in: BMJ case reports Vol. 15; no. 5; p. e248226
• Main Authors: Lakhanpal, Vikas, Singh, Deependra, Bhagwat, Kiran, Chakravarthy, Kamalesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 03-05-2022; BMJ Publishing Group
• Subjects: Brucellosis; Brucellosis - complications; Brucellosis - diagnosis; Brucellosis - drug therapy; Case reports; Case Reports: Unusual presentation of more common disease/injury; Data collection; Deafness - complications; Encephalitis; Encephalomyelitis; Encephalomyelitis - complications; Fever; Hearing loss; Hearing Loss - complications; Hepatitis C; Humans; Hydrocephalus; Hydrocephalus - etiology; Laboratories; Meningitis; Middle Aged; Serology; Steroids; Tuberculosis; Zoonoses; Spinal cord; Infection (neurology)
• ISSN: 1757-790X; 1757-790X
• DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-248226

Neurobrucellosis is a zoonotic infection transmitted by infected animals or by contact with animal products and is an important health problem in resource-limited settings. In this case report, we present the case of a middle-aged man presenting with encephalomyelitis with hearing loss and diagnosed with neurobrucellosis based on imaging and serological tests. Because brucellosis infection is indolent, a high index of suspicion should be maintained in individuals presenting with fever, neurological signs and symptoms so that early management can prevent long-term neurological sequelae such as focal neurological deficits, hydrocephalus and psychiatric sequelae.