Recurrent episcleritis associated with brucellosis

Purpose: To document the clinical course and the treatment of episcleritis associated with brucellosis, Methods: Three consecutive cases of patients with recurrent episcleritis as sociated with brucellosis were evaluated through clinical and laboratory da ta including serology (tube agglutination), blood culture, and synovial flu id culture. Results: All the patients had ingested contaminated milk and/or fresh chees e. The diagnosis of brucellosis was confirmed by high antibody titer, posit ive blood culture, negative synovial fluid culture and unresponsive conditi on to the previous nonspecific therapy for episcleritis and reactive arthri tis. The patients responded well to the therapy with doxycycline and rifamp icin, Conclusion: We proposed that recurrent episcleritis had a co-occurence with reactive arthritis in the course of the brucellosis and that it responded well to the antibrucellar antibiotics rather than to steroids, This also im plies that brucellosis as a rule is an underlying triggering infection asso ciated with reactive arthritis.