Brucellosis Mimicking COVID-19: A Point of View on Differential Diagnosis in Patients With Fever, Dry Cough, Arthralgia, and Hepatosplenomegaly

Abstract

The novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2, emerged in China in late 2019, and a variety of clinical symptoms and signs were reported following patients' clinical presentation. By contrast, human Brucellosis is a worldwide zoonosis that may present with general symptoms including fever, dry cough, malaise, and arthralgia, making it indistinguishable from other causes of respiratory infection. Here, an 18-year-old man who was hospitalized with a suspected COVID-19 infection, but finally confirmed as having Brucellosis with positive blood culture for Brucella melitensis is presented. This case is a reminder for healthcare workers to consider the diagnosis of Brucellosis in patients exhibiting febrile syndromes in endemic regions during the COVID-19 pandemic.