A 65-year-old sheep breeder in Gansu province, north-west China, developed an unusual complication of brucellosis: an abscess of the parotid salivary gland accompanied by spondylitis, according to a case report published in BMC Infectious Diseases.
Presentation and diagnosis
The patient first experienced prolonged musculoskeletal complaints — lower back pain for two years and right knee pain for six months — before presenting with a 20-day history of pain, swelling and redness on the right side of his neck. Clinicians diagnosed a parotid abscess and vertebral inflammation (spondylitis). The diagnostic turning point was microbiology: culture of fluid drained from the neck abscess grew Brucella species, directly linking the parotid lesion to brucellosis.
Treatment and outcome
Management combined systemic antibiotic therapy with local drainage of the abscess. The report states this approach achieved clinical improvement and avoided more invasive surgical options, including a formal incision to open the abscess or parotidectomy (surgical removal of the gland).
Clinical and sector relevance
Brucellosis is a systemic infectious disease capable of affecting multiple organs; its clinical signs are often nonspecific, which can delay diagnosis. Localised abscess formation has been described in several organs, such as the spleen and liver, but abscesses of the parotid gland are rare in the published literature. The authors present this single case to add to clinical experience of how brucellosis can present and be managed when such complications arise.
- Patient: 65-year-old sheep breeder in Gansu province, China
- Presentation: 20 days of neck pain, swelling and redness; longer history of back and knee pain
- Diagnosis: parotid abscess and spondylitis with culture of abscess fluid yielding Brucella species (reported in BMC Infectious Diseases)
- Treatment: antibiotics plus local drainage; avoided formal incision or parotidectomy according to the report
The report is a single case description rather than a comparative study, so its findings are limited to the clinical course and management of this patient. It illustrates the potential for atypical, localised complications of brucellosis and underlines the role of microbiological culture of lesion material in establishing the diagnosis.
Farmers and those working with sheep and goats should note that brucellosis is a recognised zoonosis associated with contact with infected livestock. Veterinary and public-health guidance about brucellosis testing, control and clinical management is issued by relevant authorities; farmers with concerns should discuss them with their veterinarian or local public-health agency.
The case report is published open access in BMC Infectious Diseases, providing clinicians and livestock health professionals with a detailed account of presentation, microbiology and management of this rare complication.
