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BACKGROUND: Brucellosis is a zoonosis endemic to specific geographical regions. In first line laboratories, diagnosis is made by blood culture or Rose Bengal (RB) serology. METHODS: We compare brucellosis testing between 2012-2021 at two university hospitals in Brussels, Belgium with concomitant national confirmed cases and institutional cases. RESULTS: RB testing increased from 30 to 211 tests/year between 2012-2021. A total of fifty-two national brucellosis cases were notified during the study period, of which fifteen cases in Brussels. No trend was noted nationally or regionally. Epidemiological data indicated travel to endemic regions, confirmed by strain testing. Institutional cases all showed symptomatic presentations with positive travel histories. CONCLUSIONS: Serologic testing inappropriately increases yearly, while annual imported brucellosis cases remain rare, and have positive travel histories and are symptomatic. We therefore support current recommendations of limiting RB testing to symptomatic patients at risk of exposure, meaning predominantly positive recent travel history.
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INTRODUCTION: Cotrimoxazole (CTX) 800/160 mg daily or thrice-weekly is recommended as prophylaxis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in kidney transplant recipients. Cotrimoxazole 800/160 daily elevates plasma creatinine and potassium levels but whether the thrice-weekly regimen does so is unknown. METHODS: Medical records of 225 kidney transplant recipients at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc were analyzed retrospectively. All received thrice-weekly CTX 800/160 for 6 months after transplantation. Monthly laboratory results, co-medications, and tacrolimus trough levels were compared. Standard statistical tests were used. RESULTS: One month after CTX stop, creatinine level decreased by 0.11 mg/dl (8%, p = 0.029). This contrasts with its stability in previous and subsequent months. No co-medication change accounted for this decrease. The decrease averaged 0.17 mg/dl (p < 0.01) in the highest initial creatinine tertile. The higher the initial creatinine level, the greater the decrease after CTX stop (p < 0.001), and urea levels remained stable after CTX stop. Potassium levels decreased by 0.09 mmol/L (p = 0.021) one month after CTX stop, and decreased by 0.23 mmol/L (p < 0.01) in the highest initial potassium level tertile. CONCLUSIONS: Our study pinpoints the impact of CTX 800/160 thrice-weekly on creatinine and potassium levels in kidney transplant recipients. This should be considered when interpreting the evolution of plasma creatinine over time, especially in patients with graft dysfunction. Thus, creatinine levels of cohorts with 6 months versus lifelong CTX require different interpretations.