Seroprevalence of Anti-Brucella Antibodies IgG and IgM in Acute Polyarthritis in a Tertiary Care Center in Southern India
DC06-DC09
Correspondence
Dr. Meenakshi Subramanian,
Associate Professor of Immunology, Madras Medical College, EVR Periyar Road, Chennai-600003, Tamil Nadu, India.
E-mail: meenakshi.balakrishnan7@gmail.com
Introduction: Acute polyarthritis is a clinical manifestation of diverse aetiologies. Infectious diseases like Brucellosis, Lyme disease, Viral infections like Chikungunya are some of the causes for Acute polyarthritis. Brucellosis can present with fever, malaise and arthralgia. Osteoarticular complications leading to polyarthritis is not uncommon with Brucellosis.
Aim: To find out the seroprevalence of Brucellosis in acute polyarthritis in a Tertiary Care Center.
Materials and Methods: A prospective study was done in a Tertiary Care Center, Tamil Nadu for a period of six months from January 2017 to June 2017. Blood samples were collected from 60 patients with acute polyarthritis and also from 20 age and sex matched healthy controls. Sera were tested for the presence of anti IgM and anti IgG Brucella antibodies by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA). Also, the acute phase reactant C-Reactive Protein (CRP) levels were measured by latex agglutination test. Statistical analysis was done by Chi-square test.
Results: In patients with acute polyarthritis serum IgM was found significant (p=0.000347) compared to IgG. The mean CRP in the diseased group was 24.12±12.10 mg/dL.
Conclusion: Even though there was no statistical significance between Brucella antibodies and acute polyarthritis 16.66% were Brucella antibody positive. Hence screening for brucella antibodies on acute polyarthritis has a definite role while evaluating a case of acute polyarthritis.