Brucellosis

It is recommended that patients are followed up regularly in order to monitor for relapse and check antibiotic adherence. At a minimum, patients with uncomplicated disease should be seen in the third and sixth weeks of treatment. Thereafter, follow-up at 3, 6, and 12 months is usually advised.[41]Beeching NJ. Brucellosis. In Fauci AS, Braunwald E, Kasper DL, et al., eds. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine. 20th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2018:1192-6.[42]Beeching NJ, Madkour MM. Brucellosis. In: Farrar J, Hotez P, Junghanss T, et al, eds. Manson’s tropical diseases. 23rd ed. London: Elsevier; 2013:371-378, 378.e1. Those with focal disease require closer monitoring for signs of relapse and complications (e.g., infective endocarditis). The indicators of successful treatment include weight gain, absence of fever, disappearance of positive signs, and general wellbeing. Periodic cultures are rarely useful in detecting treatment failure, particularly in focal disease requiring prolonged courses of antibiotics.