Brucellar epididymo-orchitis: Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of 50 patients in Iran

INTRODUCTION: Epididymo-orchitis (EO) is a disease of both the epididymis and ipsilateral testis. Brucellar epididymo-orchitis (BEO) is an uncommon localized infection of the testis and epididymis which occurs in about 2–14 % of all patients with brucellosis as a result of urine Brucella removal or due to blood-borne septic metastasis. METHODS: Between January 2018 and June 2021, 50 patients with fever, chills, swelling, and pain of the testicle (testicles) were referred to our center. Two approaches were used for the treatment of brucellarepididymo-orchitis among these individuals. Intravenous Gentamicin and Doxycycline were used in seven cases, while Rifampicin was added to this combination for the remaining 43 patients. Intravenous Gentamicin was administered for 7 days and the other drugs were used for 45 days. All patients were followed up for six months by monitoring the symptoms and signs of the disease. RESULTS: None of the patients had been diagnosed with brucellosis before referral to our clinic. 43 patients were successfully treated by. Intravenous Gentamicin, Doxycycline and Rifampicin, whereas seven patients were fully treated using. Intravenous Gentamicin and Doxycycline. The two therapeutic groups were hospitalized for 7.56 ± 3.45 (3–23) and 10.14 ± 1.77 (8–13) days, respectively. Treatment failure, drug side effects, and disease complications were not observed in any of the cases over a 6-month follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Physicians should be alert regarding Brucellarepididymo-orchitis (BEO) within the differential diagnosis of nonspecific epididymo-orchitis, especially in regions where the disease is endemic. Delay in diagnosis or inappropriate management of BEO may result in complications.