Predictive role of facial nerve palsy improvement in malignant external otitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of different factors on facial nerve palsy improvement in patients with malignant external otitis (MEO) and the predictive role of improvement on MEO. METHODS: Data were collected from all MEO patients with facial paralysis who were hospitalized between 2012 and 2017 at a tertiary referral center. We contacted patients at least 6 months after their admission to evaluate their facial nerve function and survival rate. RESULTS: In a study of 19 samples with a mean age of 69.1 years, 9 patients (47.7%) had some or complete improvement, while 10 (52.6%) had no or very minimal improvement. In this study, there was no statistically significant difference between patients with and without facial nerve palsy improvement in terms of age, sex, usage of antifungal treatment alongside antibiotics, duration of hospital stays, HbA1c level, presentation of hearing loss and vertigo, the severity of facial palsy, comorbidity score, mean of fasting blood sugar, leukocytosis, first ESR and ESR drop, CRP and physiotherapy. We found a positive correlation between improving facial palsy and patients' survival rates. CONCLUSION: Considering the possible influence of facial paralysis improvement prognosis on MEO patients' survival, it could affect our approach to the disease.

Predictive factors in treatment response of malignant external otitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prevalence and impact of various predictive factors including diabetes control in malignant external otitis (MEO) treatment response. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study on MEO patients, we defined treatment response with three indices; ESR level decrease, hospitalization period, and systemic antifungal drug usage. The impact of diabetes control and other predictive factors on these indices have been evaluated. RESULTS: Overall, 164 patients with a mean age of 67.8 ± 9.7 years were included. Cranial nerve involvement was present in 56 patients. Nine patients had immunodeficiency. 19.5% of cases had leukocytosis. Diabetes mellitus was present in 156 patients, suffering for an average of 13.9 ± 8.6 years. The overall mean hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) level was 8.3% (4.4-12.8%), and the mean fasting blood sugar was 146.4 mg/dl (63-292 mg/dl). 29.3% of patients had good diabetes control before admission (HbA1c < 7%), 54.9% had poor control (7% < HbA1c < 10%) and 15.9% had very poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 10%). The predictive role for the following factors were not statistically significant: age, gender, comorbidities, diabetes, diabetes management method used before and during hospitalization, diabetes duration, leukocytosis, immunodeficiency, fasting blood sugar level, HbA1c level, glycemic control index, and insulin amount. However, CRP level with a mean value of 34.3 mg/L showed a significant correlation with ESR decrease, hospitalization period, and antifungal drug usage. CONCLUSION: CRP level could be used as a predictor for the hospitalization period, the need for systemic antifungal and ESR level decrease. It would be helpful to check the CRP level at the time of diagnosis to predict the hospitalization period and the necessity of systemic antifungal management to adjust the treatment strategy.

Convalescent plasma therapy in patients with severe COVID-19, A single-arm, retrospective study.

Convalescent plasma (CP) therapy has been suggested as a treatment for emerging viral diseases. Moreover, many studies have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of COVID-19 CP therapy, with some of them indicating that CP may be a promising treatment for the disease. However, the evidence for CP therapy's effectiveness in severe COVID-19 cases is limited. So, this study aimed to assess the probable effects of CP therapy in patients diagnosed with severe COVID-19. The study was designed as a single-arm, retrospective cohort of patients with severe COVID. Demographic data, laboratory test reports, and convalescent plasma transfusion doses were collected from medical records for patients before and after convalescent plasma transfusion. The clinical outcomes were hospital discharge and death. Also, laboratory parameters considered secondary outcomes. After CP therapy, some symptoms improved, especially in patients under 55 years old, as follows. Respiratory function was significantly enhanced after convalescent plasma transfusion, and the inflammatory biomarkers' values decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Moreover, the estimated median of partial thromboplastin time (PTT) and Prothrombin time (PT) in patients did not change after CP therapy (p > 0.05). Regarding COVID-19 mortality, a strong association was found between older ages and death (p < 0.001). Also, CP transfusion in the early days of admission was effective in treatment outcomes (p = 0.023). Other characteristics, including sex, blood group, number of CP transfusions, and preexisting conditions, did not significantly correlate with mortality. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of CP therapy in patients under the age of 55. Despite some improvement, we could not say that they were entirely due to the CP treatment. More extensive randomized clinical trials that cover different stages of the disease are needed.

Risk Factors of COVID-19 Associated Mucormycosis (CAM) in Iranian Patients: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 associated mucormycosis (CAM) has been known as one of the most severe post-COVID morbidities. OBJECTIVES: To describe CAM cases, identify possible risk factors, and report outcomes of patients. METHODS: This retrospective study was performed in Amir-Alam Hospital, Tehran, Iran between February 2020 and September 2021. Patients with mucormycosis who had an active or previous diagnosis of COVID-19 have been included. RESULTS: Of 94 patients with mucormycosis, 52 (33 men and 19 women; mean age: 57.0 ± 11.82 years) were identified with an active or history of COVID-19. Rhino-orbital, rhino maxillary, rhino-orbito cerebral subtypes of mucormycosis were detected in 6 (11.5%), 18(34.6%), and 28(53.8%) patients. As a control group, 130 (69 men and 61 women; mean age: 53.10 ± 14.49 years) random RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients without mucormycosis have been included. The mean interval between COVID-19 diagnosis and initial mucormycosis symptoms was 16.63 ± 8.4 days (range 0-51). Those in the CAM group had a significantly more severe course of COVID-19 (OR = 3.60, P-value < 0.01). Known history of previous diabetes mellitus (OR = 7.37, P-value < 0.01), smoking (OR = 4.55, P-value < 0.01), and history of receiving high-dose corticosteroid pulse therapy because of more severe COVID-19 (P-value = 0.022) were found as risk factors. New-onset post-COVID hyperglycemia was lower in the CAM group (46.2% vs. 63.8%; OR = 0.485, P-value = 0.028). After treatment of the CAM group, 41(78.8%) of patients recovered from mucormycosis. The mean ages of the expired patients in the CAM group were significantly higher than those who recovered from mucormycosis (66.18 ± 9.56 vs. 54.56 ± 11.22 years; P < 0.01); and COVID-19 disease was more severe (P = 0.046). CONCLUSION: Either active or history of COVID-19 can cause an increase in the risk of mucormycosis development. Some of the most important risk factors are the medical history of diabetes mellitus, smoking, and high-dose corticosteroid therapy. CAM is important possible comorbidity related to COVID-19, which could make the post-COVID conditions more complicated. More research and studies with greater sample sizes among different ethnicities are needed to explore the association between COVID-19 and mucormycosis.

Possible role of hypothyroidism in the prognosis of COVID-19.

In patients with COVID-19, certain medical conditions could result in poorer clinical outcomes. However, the prognostic role of hypothyroidism in COVID-19 is still unknown. In the present retrospective study, we estimated the prevalence of hypothyroidism in COVID-19 admitted patients in Tehran, Iran. Among 390 COVID-19 admitted patients, 21 hypothyroid cases (5.4%) were found, in which nearly 90% were aged 50 years and older. Regarding the effect of hypothyroidism on COVID-19 mortality, 60 (15.3%) of total patients and 4 (19%) of hypothyroid patients died, and no significant difference was found between the two groups.

N-acetyl cysteine in prevention of amphotericin- induced electrolytes imbalances: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, clinical trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of oral n-acetyl cysteine, as a potential nephroprotective agent, in preventing and/or attenuating amphotericin B-induced electrolytes imbalances. METHODS: During a one year period, patients were to receive conventional amphotericin b for any indication for at least one week and were randomly allocated to receive either placebo or 600 mg oral n-acetyl cysteine twice daily during the treatment course of amphotericin b. Demographic and clinical data of the study population were gathered. Different aspects of amphotericin b nephrotoxicity including decrease of glomerular filtration rate, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, renal magnesium and potassium wasting were assessed. Each patient was monitored for any adverse reaction to n-acetyl cysteine. Sixteen and 14 patients in the n-acetyl cysteine and placebo groups completed the study, 3incidences of hypokalemia (75 % versus 70 %; P = 0.724) and hypomagnesemia (30 % versus 20 %; P = 0.468) did not differ significantly between placebo and NAC groups, respectively. Although the rate of AmB nephrotoxicity was higher in the placebo than in the NAC group (60 % versus 40 %), this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.209) even after adjusting for probable associated factors of amphotericin b nephrotoxicity (P = 0.206). The incidence as well as time of onset of electrolyte abnormalities also did not differ significantly between placebo and n-acetyl cysteine groups. About 44 % of n-acetyl cysteine recipients experienced new onset nausea and a mild unpleasant taste during the study. CONCLUSION: Oral n-acetyl cysteine during the amphotericin B treatment course was not significantly effective in preventing or mitigating different features of its nephrotoxicity including decrease of glomerular filtration rate, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, and renal potassium as well as magnesium wasting.

A Case of Multiple Sclerosis with Protracted Course of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: We reported a case of multiple sclerosis (MS) with persistent symptomatic COVID-19, which was complicated by new-appearing severe pneumonia 40 days after disease onset. CASE PRESENTATION: A 38-year-old man with a history of multiple sclerosis referred to our hospital with fever, shaking chills, cough, and dyspnea. In his history, the patient had developed mild COVID-19 from 40 days ago. After 7 days of disease onset, the COVID symptoms had been subsided partially, but fatigue, myalgia, intermittent fever, and loss of taste and smell had been continued. In physical examinations, his oral temperature was 39.4 °C. He had respiratory distress, and his blood oxygen saturation on the room air was 90%. The spiral chest CT scan was performed, which revealed bilateral ground-glass and alveolar opacities in favor of COVID-19 pneumonia. The result of the RT-PCR test for SARS-COV-2 was reported positive subsequently. His current MS medication was rituximab and he had received the last dose of rituximab two months before developing COVID-19. The patient was admitted to the COVID ward and put on Remdesivir, subcutaneous interferon-beta1b, and dexamethasone. He improved gradually and was discharged from the hospital with the favorable condition after 10 days. This patient had a rare protracted disease course. We presumed that prolonged high degree fever (above 38 °C) in our patient is beyond the diagnosis of the post-COVID-19 syndrome and is more compatible with persistent infection. CONCLUSION: Although most immunocompromised patients effectively clear SARS-CoV-2 infection, this case report highlights the risk of persistent infection associated with recurrence of the disease.

The Value of Spiral Chest Computed Tomography Scan in the Diagnosis of Asymptomatic Coronavirus Carriers among Paranasal Sinus and Pharynx Surgery Candidates.

Introduction The nasopharynx and oropharynx are the main colonization sites of coronavirus. Therefore, patients with paranasal sinuses and pharyngeal problems (ear, nose, and throat [ENT] patients) predispose coronavirus infection. Ear, nose, and throat patients with concomitant asymptomatic coronavirus infection may develop severe pneumonia following surgical procedures. As a result, presurgical screening for coronavirus infection is a substantial concern. Objective We evaluated the usefulness of a spiral chest computed tomography (CT) scan in the diagnosis of asymptomatic coronavirus infection in the presurgical assessment of ENT patients Methods In this study, candidates of paranasal sinus or pharyngeal surgery were evaluated for coronavirus infection. Patients with neither history of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nor compatible symptoms and signs were screened for asymptomatic coronavirus infection. These patients composed two groups: the first group underwent a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test of nasopharyngeal sample and spiral chest CT scan, but for the second one, only the latter was performed. Results In the first group, which consisted of 106 patients, 11 (10.4%) cases had positive RT-PCR test results, and 17 (16%) patients showed positive findings in favor of coronavirus infection in the spiral chest CT scan. In the second group, which consisted of 173 patients, 34 (19.7%) cases had positive chest CT scan results. Conclusion The chest CT scan has a valuable role in the early diagnosis of asymptomatic coronavirus carriers in patients highly predisposed to infection, especially in low resource areas, where the RT-PCR test is unavailable.

The relationship between cumulative dose of immunosuppressive agents and COVID-19-associated mucormycosis: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Immunosuppressive therapy has a key role in developing coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)-associated mucormycosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of the type and cumulative dose of immunosuppressive agents on COVID-19-associated mucormycosis. Methods: We designed a descriptive cross-sectional study involving three COVID-19 hospitals in Iran. Clinical and demographic data were gathered from the medical records and checked by two independent researchers to minimize errors in data collection. Results: Seventy-three patients were included in the study. The mean age of cases was 57.41 (SD = 12.64) and 43.8% were female. Among patients, 20.5% were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) during COVID-19. Furthermore, 17 patients (23.29%) had a history of diabetes mellitus. Sixty-nine patients (94.52%) had a history of receiving corticosteroids (dexamethasone) during treatment of COVID-19, and of those, five patients (6.85%) received Tocilizumab beside. The mean cumulative dose of corticosteroids prescribed was 185.22 mg (SD = 114.738). The average cumulative dosage of tocilizumab was 720 mg (SD = 178.89). All of the included patients received amphotericin B for mucormycosis treatment, and 42 survived (57.53%). Also, there was a significant relationship between hospitalization in ICU for COVID-19 and the mucormycosis outcome (p = 0.007). However, there weren't any significant associations between cumulative doses of immunosuppressive drugs and mucormycosis outcome (p = 0.52). Conclusion: The prevalence of COVID-19-associated mucormycosis is increasing and should be considered in the treatment protocols of COVID-19. Controlling risk factors such as diabetes, malignancy and the administration of immunosuppressive agents based on recommended dosage in validated guidelines are ways to prevent mucormycosis.

Distinguishing Characteristics of COVID-19-Associated Mucormycosis; a Case Series.

Introduction: Since the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic, several articles have reported the co-existence of mucormycosis and COVID-19. This study aimed to distinguish the characteristics of COVID-19-associated rhinocerebral mucormycosis. Methods: In this case series, 18 patients with COVID-19-associated rhinocerebral mucormycosis and unique clinical manifestations and outcomes, who were referred to Amiralam Hospital, a tertiary otorhinolaryngology center, Tehran, Iran, during the COVID-19 era, were reported. Results: Eighteen patients with the mean age of 62.0 ± 11.6 (range: 42 - 83) years were studied (50% males). The mean time interval between diagnosis of COVID-19 and first manifestation of mucormycosis was 15.5 ± 9.7 days. The most common presenting symptom was facial paresthesia (72.2%). Fifty percent of patients developed frozen eye. Palatal necrosis was seen in 7 cases (38.8%). Remarkably, facial paralysis was observed in 5 (27.7%) patients. Another notable clinical picture was cavernous sinus thrombosis, seen in 7 patients. We also had two cases of carotid artery occlusion. Three patients, unfortunately, passed away. Conclusion: Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is one of the most important complications of COVID-19 patients, especially those with underlying diseases. It seems that the key to proper management of mucormycosis is early diagnosis and timely intervention, which could give a patient a chance to live more.

Infectious Mononucleosis Complicated with Bilateral Peritonsillar Abscess and Splenic Infarction.

Infectious mononucleosis (IM) due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is usually self-limited. It presents with fever, pharyngitis, fatigue, and cervical lymph node enlargement. It is common among adolescents and young adults. Although most patients recovered without any sequelae, rare complications have been reported. We described a 28-year-old man with fever, sore throat, dysphagia, and a positive IgM viral capsid Ag (VCA Ag) for EBV infection. He was admitted and received dexamethasone. He developed bilateral peritonsillar abscess (PTA) and splenic infarction, rare complications of acute EBV infection, two days after discharge. Although early reports noted PTA might occur following dexamethasone administration, recently, no obvious evidence supports it. However, high erythrocyte sedimentation rate level in our patient might indicate bacterial superinfection, which could exacerbate with dexamethasone administration. Several mechanisms such as transient hypercoagulable state and insufficient blood supply due to splenomegaly were proposed for splenic infarction due to EBV infection. Since our patient remained asymptomatic during the disease, IM-associated splenic complications, including splenic infarction, should be kept in mind. Our patient underwent bilateral tonsillectomy and received conservative management for the splenic infarction. These two rare complications of acute EBV infection have not been reported simultaneously yet.

COVID-19 and Alcohol Misuse: A Case Report.

At the beginning of 2020, a newly emerged virus, now named SARS-CoV-2, began to spread in China. After four months, it has reached all over the globe, infecting more than 2.5 million people. Currently, there are no proved treatments available. However, in social media, false information about alcohol consumption and its role against the virus is spreading. We described a victim of these false facts, who was present with reduced eyesight due to alcohol drinking. A few days later, he showed symptoms of COVID-19 and, even though received treatment, lost his eyesight partially. Alcohol taking has no preventive or curative effect on COVID-19 and negatively impacts the body and immune system, which, therefore, should not be considered a treatment for COVID-19 disease.

Protracted COVID-19 during Treatment of Facial Palsy.

Neurologic manifestations are increasingly reported as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues. This is a report of a COVID-19 patient with Bell's palsy. Case Summary. A 52-year-old man with fever and malaise was tested positive for COVID-19. After a week, he developed right-sided peripheral facial palsy and was treated with corticosteroids in conjunction with antiviral treatment which resulted in complete recovery. Discussion. Concomitant treatment of corticosteroids and antiviral treatment can decrease morbidity in patients with COVID-19-related Bell's palsy.

Postoperative COVID-19 Pneumonia in an Asymptomatic Patient: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: The recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China has rapidly spread throughout the world and there are many reports of symptoms ranging from malaise to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by this infection. However, few reports have been discussed surgical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we described a case of an elderly female developed with postoperative pulmonary complications after uneventful elective minor surgery. The patient was asymptomatic before the operation with no history of cough or fever. After surgery, the patient developed respiratory distress and chest radiological imaging revealed bilateral ground-glass opacities. It seems any type of surgeries requiring local anesthesia or general anesthesia may contribute to worsening outcomes in patients with covid19.

Lung Involvement Found on Chest CT Scan in a Pre-Symptomatic Person with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Report.

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infection is spreading worldwide, and there are many reports of acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by this infection. However, asymptomatic lung involvement has not been reported. We hereby present the case of a 44-year-old health-care worker, who was found to be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus after a CT-scan performed for an unrelated condition revealed a lesion in the lung field compatible with COVID-19 infection. His condition deteriorated initially, but eventually improved with supportive treatment and the compassionate use of antivirals and antimalarials and is now in a stable condition.

Facial nerve paralysis in malignant otitis externa: comparison of the clinical and paraclinical findings.

BACKGROUND: Malignant otitis externa is an uncommon but critical challenging disease with some degree of cranial nerve involvement. AIM/OBJECTIVE: to examine the factors leading to facial paralysis in these patients and clarify indications for aggressive treatment in the group most at risk. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a case-control study, demographic, clinical, laboratory, audiometric, imaging, and treatment characteristics of 139 patients in groups with and without facial paralysis were analysed. RESULTS: 45 patients (32.4%) had facial paralysis. Compared to patients without facial nerve involvement, patients with facial palsy had a higher rate of inflammatory markers (mean erythrocyte sedimentation rate on admission [67.71 vs 51.16 mm/h], and the average of total ESR [64.27 vs 54.46 mm/h], as well as the mean C-reactive protein [38.96 vs 27.53 mg/L]). Also, the involvement of the facial canal (p < .01) and nasopharyngeal space (p < .05) were related to the incidence of facial paralysis. CONCLUSION: Nasopharyngeal extension of the inflammation and facial nerve canal erosion might be useful as predictors of facial nerve dysfunction. The elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate is correlated with the increased risk of facial paralysis, and aggressive medical management is more crucial. SIGNIFICANCE: Improvement in predicting the outcome of patients with malignant otitis externa.

There is no Difference Between Sequences of HIV-1 Infected Patients with Stable Clinical Status and HIV-1 Reference Sequence.

BACKGROUND: The rate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in Iran has increased dramatically in the past few years. HIV-1 genome sequences are pivotal for large-scale studies of inter- and intra-host evolution. To understand the molecular difference between reference HIV-1 isolate and two HIV-1 infected patients in Iran, we conducted this study to analyze some genome segments of Iranian HIV-1 isolates. METHODS: Two HIV-1-infected individuals who were under antiretroviral therapy (ARV) for 8 years with stable clinical status were enrolled. The patient's plasma samples were used for the Gag-Pol genome sequences (4500 nt). The phylogenetic tree and similarity plotty were obtained based on Gag-Pol sequences. RESULTS: Both HIV-1-infected isolates belonged to CRF35_AD subtype even though one of them had drug resistance. The HIV genome and protein sequences showed no clear difference between genome and protein sequences of our samples and the reference sequence. CONCLUSIONS: Our patient's stable clinical status had no connection to genome sequence; which could be owing to immunological factors or other patient's mode which are still unknown.

Assessment of device-associated infection rates in teaching hospitals in Islamic Republic of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Surveillance of health care-associated infections (HCAIs) is an integral part of infection control programmes, especially in intensive care units (ICUs). Device-associated infections (DAIs) are a major threat to patient safety. AIM: To measure DAI rates in ICUs. METHODS: Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and catheter- associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) were assessed in the ICUs of 4 tertiary-care teaching hospitals in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. RESULTS: The incidence rate of CLABSI, VAP and CAUTI was 10.20, 21.08 and 7.42 per 1000 device-days, respectively. The utilization ratio for central lines, ventilators and urinary catheters was 0.62, 0.47, and 0.84, respectively. The most common organisms were Acinetobacter (33.5 %) and Klebsiella (19.0 %). Sixty to eighty percent of Enterobacteriaceae were extended- spectrum beta-lactamase producing. About half of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were resistant to piperacillin/ tazobactam and carbapenem. Acinetobacter resistance rate to ampicillin/sulbactam and carbapenem was 70-80 %. The prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus was 84.6 % and 83.3 %, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed high incidence rates of DAIs and resistant organisms, and appropriate interventions are necessary to reduce these rates.

Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory findings, and outcomes of disseminated tuberculosis in Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Disseminated tuberculosis (TB) accounts for 1 to 3% of all TB cases. This retrospective study reviews the clinical, radiological, laboratory findings and outcome in patients with disseminated tuberculosis in an endemic area. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed for patients with disseminated TB admitted to two tertiary centers in Tehran, Iran between 1999 and 2006. RESULTS: Fifty patients were found to have disseminated TB. A miliary pattern was documented in the chest x-ray of 34 patients. Hematologic abnormalities including anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia were frequently observed. Death occurred in nine of the cases. The mortality rate was significantly higher in diabetic patients, injection drug users, and patients with hematologic abnormalities; however, steroid usage and human immunodeficiency virus infection were not significantly associated with a higher mortality rate. Clinical improvement occurred in 41 patients following treatment. CONCLUSION: Disseminated TB could have different manifestations. Hematologic abnormalities are common and are considered poor prognostic signs in these patients.

Clinical and laboratory findings in neurobrucellosis: review of 31 cases.

BACKGROUND: Neurobrucellosis is an uncommon complication of brucellosis. The clinical features of neurobrucellosis vary greatly and, in general, tend to be chronic. Many of the laboratory procedures usually employed in the diagnosis of brucellosis frequently give negative results. For these reasons, and because brucellosis is a disease, which is both treatable and curable, the degree of suspicion must be high, especially in endemic areas, so that an early diagnosis can be made to allow suitable treatment to be established. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 31 cases of neurobrucellosis was carried out. RESULTS: Meningitis and meningoencephalitis were the most common form of neurobrucellosis in our patients. The most commonly-used antibiotics were combinations of rifampin, doxycycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. CONCLUSION: The differential diagnosis of neurobrucellosis is wide. However, the disease should be ruled out in all patients who develop unexplained neurological symptoms, especially in those who live in endemic areas.