THYROIDITIS DUE TO BRUCELLA-MELITENSIS

A case of thyroiditis due to Brucella Melitensis is reported. Brucello sis anticipated by about two months the onset of the characteristic sy mptoms of acute thyroiditis. Cultures of specimens obtained by fine ne edle aspiration biopsy and microbiological investigations allowed isol ation and identification of the germ, This observation allowed the rec ognition that thyroid gland might harbored secondary localization of a prolonged brucellosis. A microbiological study (the protocol of which is proposed) of specimen obtained by fine needle aspiration biopsy sh ould be performed in the presence of symptoms and signs of an inflamma tory process associated to an acute swelling of the thyroid gland.