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Brucellosis

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Rock fever; Cyprus fever; Undulant fever; Gibraltar fever; Malta fever

Treatment:

A combination antibiotic therapy, such as doxycycline and rifampin or an aminoglycoside, is recommended to treat and prevent relapse of infection. Longer courses of therapy may be required for complications.

Doxycycline is usually not prescribed for children until after all the permanent teeth have come in because it can permanently discolor the teeth that are still forming.

Expectations (prognosis):

Relapse may occur, and symptoms may persist for years. As with tuberculosis, reactivation can occur after a long period of time.

Complications:

• Bone and joint lesions
• Infective endocarditis
• Encephalitis
• Meningitis
• Chronic fatigue syndrome

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you develop symptoms of brucellosis.

Also, call if your symptoms worsen or do not improve with treatment, or if new symptoms develop.

• Review Date: 11/7/2005
• Reviewed By: Cyrus Badshah, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University; Assistant Attending Physician, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & Medical Director, Chest (TB) Clinic and Directly Observed Therapy Program, Harlem Hospital Center. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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