Beyond the Usual Suspects: Human Brucellosis Presenting with Pyrexia of Unknown Origin: A Case Revisited

Brucellosis is a bacterial zoonosis, transmitted to humans via close contact with infected animals and consuming contaminated food products. Although bovine brucellosis remains endemic in Sri Lanka, there is a serious lack of data on human brucellosis. However, a study done in Sri Lanka reports an overall seroprevalence of 8.4%.
We report an 18-year-old schoolgirl who presented with a prolonged febrile illness. She gave an occasional exposure to domesticated cattle. The Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) for Brucella became positive with a significant titre. She was successfully treated with doxycycline and rifampicin to achieve a complete recovery.