Human Brucellosis Caused by Brucella canis: A Rare Case Report

Brucella canis, a member of Brucella species, has been reported as a cause of human brucellosis in a few cases, and routine serologic tests do not identify this species. In spite the fact that Iran is an endemic area for brucellosis, there has not been any report of human brucellosis due to B. canis. The patient was a 68-year-old female with complaints of fever, foul smelling urine, malaise, vomiting, and arthralgia. Considering significant leucocytosis and pyuria, positive urine culture antibiotic therapy was initiated for urosepsis. However, due to non-suitable response to antibiotic and negative serologic study for brucellosis, supplemental assessments, including bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (BMA&B), were performed to study malignancy, tuberculosis, and brucellosis. Brucella canis was isolated from BACTEC media and subsequently confirmed by polymerase chain reaction test. Considering the ineffectiveness of routine serologic study for diagnosis of B. canis in the presence of clinical presentations suggestive for brucellosis, blood or BM culture should be considered.