Current status of diagnosis and treatment of brucellosis-related aortic infectious diseases
WANG Lei
WANG Jia-yi
XIN Shi-jie
Abstract：Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease transmitted from livestock to humans,commonly affecting the bones,joints,and spine.While cardiovascular complications are rare,brucellosis involving the aorta progresses rapidly and is associated with high mortality.Brucellosis-related aortic infectious diseases primarily manifest as infectious aortitis,which may progress to an infectious aortic aneurysm.The causative agent is Brucella,which enters the human body through the skin or mucosa and disseminates systemically via the lymphatic system,leading to aortic infection.The primary pathogenesis involves inflammatory changes in the arterial wall and upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases.The diagnosis of brucellosis-related aortic infectious diseases relies on a combination of serological tests,imaging studies,and clinical presentations.Imaging modalities such as CT,MRI,and ultrasound aid in confirming brucellosis-related aortic aneurysms.CT and 18F-FDG PET/CT exhibit high sensitivity in detecting disease progression.Clinical presentations often include abdominal pain and back pain,which are nonspecific,necessitating further confirmation through serological and imaging assessments.The treatment of brucellosis-related aortic infectious diseases primarily involves antibiotic therapy and surgical intervention.Early and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy combining rifampin and doxycycline is recommended,with a typical treatment duration of six months.Endovascular repair has become the preferred treatment modality for aortic infectious diseases,offering advantages over traditional open surgery,including reduced invasiveness,faster recovery,and favorable short-term outcomes.Open surgery remains dominant in managing complex cases,particularly when endovascular therapy is insufficient to address the condition effectively.Postoperative anti-infective therapy and long-term follow-up are crucial for improving patient prognosis.Treatment strategies for brucellosis-related aortic infectious diseases should be tailored to individual cases.Endovascular therapy has demonstrated promising clinical outcomes.
Keywords：brucellosisaortic infectious diseaseinfectious aortic aneurysmendovascular repairopen surgeryCTMRI18F-FDG PET/CT
Publication Date：2024-12-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 1362-1366 )