Tehran University Medical Journal

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Background: Brucellosis is one of the most common infectious diseases in Iran with very different clinical manifestations.

Methods: In this retrospective descriptive study, all patients with brucellosis, who were admitted in Farshchian Hospital in Hamadan, Iran in 2005 to 2010, were enrolled in the study. The data were collected from the patients' medical records and were entered in forms for analysis.

Results: A total of 230 patients with brucellosis, including 130 (56.5%) male and 100 (43.5%) female patients with a mean age of 40.84±20.29 years, who mostly (72.2%) lived in rural areas were enrolled in the study. Outbreaks were most common in spring and summer and the main route of transmission was consumption of contaminated dairy products (60.3%). The most common symptoms were fever (77.4%), arthralgia (70%), sweating (47%), malaise and fatigue (46.5%). Arthritis and epididymo- orchitis were seen in 121 (52.9%) and 48 (8.20%) patients, respectively. CBC analysis showed leukocytosis in 20.8% of the participants. ESR rise was noted in 59.5% of the patients and 52.9% had positive CRP.

Conclusion: Given to various clinical presentations, brucellosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of individuals with chronic fever with or without other organ abnormalities.

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Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age. Chronic infections have been mentioned as one of the different etiologic factors related to PCOS. Due to the high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection especially in developing countries, its probable role in the pathogenesis of PCOS and the limited information available in this area, serologic study of H.Pylori infection in patients with PCOS, was performed. Methods: This research was performed as a case control study from Dec 2010 until May 2012 in 82 patients (and their spouses) with polycystic ovary syndrome (case group) and 82 non PCOS patients (control group) with an age range of 20-40 referred to Vali-e-Asr Hospital infertility clinic. Both groups and their husbands filled a questionnaire and were examined by testing their serum H.Pylori IgG and IgA antibody levels. Statistical testing and analysis was performed by t-student and λ2 tests. Results: Mean age of the women and men and also other demographic characteristics except their profession showed no significant difference (P>0.05) in the two groups (PCOS and non PCOS). H.Pylori antibody IgG serum level was positive in 78% and 76.5% and H.Pylori antibody IgA level in 30.5% and 37% of PCOS versus non PCOS patients respectively which showed no statistically significant difference (P>0.05). There was also no significant difference between the H.Pylori antibodies levels in the spouses in the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study showed no significant difference in serologic examination re-sults in PCOS versus non PCOS patients. The finding of high prevalence of H.Pylori IgG and IgA positive levels in both PCOS and non PCOS patients can be probably re-lated to the high prevalence of H.Pylori infection or exposure in Iranian population and therefore suggest an issue for further investigation.