Comparison of the Clinical Manifestationand Epidemiologic and Laboratory Data in Brucella and Non-Brucella Bacterial Epididymo- orchitis

Brucellosis is an enzootic disease that can involve many organs and tissues. Brucella epididymo-orchitis is a focal complication of the brucellosis. The aim of this study was to compare epidemiologic، clinical، and laboratory features of patients suffering from Brucella induced epididymo-orchitis with cases of nonspecific epididymo-orchitis. This analytical cross-sectional study was performed in Valiasr Hospital in Arak from 2007 to 2011. A total of 40 cases of Brucella epididymo-orchitis were compared with 40 cases of bacterial (non-specific) epididymo-orchitis and the data were analyzed by SPSS ver. 16 software and Student t-test، and Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests. We found no significant differences between the age (P-value = 0. 82)، fever (P-value = 0. 17)، history of urologic manipulation (P-value= 0. 23)، increased ESR (P-value = 0. 28)، and positive CRP (P-value = 0. 45) between the two groups. However، there was a significant difference between the presence of arthritis and arthralgias (P-value = 0. 02)، leukocytosis (P-value <0. 05)، pyuria (P-value = 0. 002)، symptoms of dysury-frequency (P-value = 0. 004)، sweating (P-value <0. 05)، and location (P-value =0. 004) between the two groups. This study shows that the existence of epididymo-orchitis without symptoms like dysuria and frequency، leukocytosis، and pyuria is suggestive of brucella epididymoorchitis. The physicians in endemic areas could use these findings for expediting the diagnosis and treatment of Brucella epididymo-orchitis.