We describe the case of a 29-year-old woman who presented with pancytopenia and myelofibrosis. Brucella melitensis was identified in her blood. The patient recovered completely with doxycycline and rifampin. A repeat bone marrow biopsy showed hypercellularity without myelofibrosis. Bone marrow findings in cases of pancytopenia due to brucellosis reveal normocellularity, hypercellularity, hemophagocytosis, or granuloma. To our knowledge this is the first report of brucellosis causing myelofibrosis. Brucellosis should be considered as a possible cause of myelofibrosis in endemic areas.
Copyright 2009 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.