A rare case of acute sternoclavicular joint brucellosis

Brucellosis is an important zoonotic disease that imposes considerable economic losses. This systemic disease can involve different parts of the body including the musculoskeletal system, genital organs, gastrointestinal system, circulation system, nervous system, skin, respiratory, heart, liver and spleen. A 31-year-old man was referred to a hospital with complaint of pain in the left shoulder. He had fever for 2 days and was hospitalized in October 2015. Based on the primary examination, there was fever in addition to swelling, redness, tenderness and warmth in the left sternoclavicular joint. After doing Brucella tests for two times in two different laboratories, the diagnosis of brucellosis was confirmed and the patient received pharmacological treatment. Brucella infects people as an accidental host. Melitensis and abortus brucella are the most common types that cause the brucella disease in humans. Infection usually appears in the form of fever with chills, sweating, arthralgia and myalgia. This disease is neglected and undiagnosed in some cases especially at the time of occurrence of unusual symptoms. Therefore, according to increasing incidence of brucellosis, doctors should consider this disease in the case of similar clinical symptoms. Also, diagnostic tests should be taken into account when needed.