CASE REPORT article
Front. Med.
Sec. Infectious Diseases: Pathogenesis and Therapy
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1613953
A Case of Polycystic Kidney Infection Caused by Brucella: Report and Literature Review Author information
Provisionally accepted
- Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
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Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a common genetic disorder characterized by the progressive development of multiple renal cysts. While cyst infections in PKD are typically caused by common gut flora, infections due to atypical zoonotic pathogens like Brucella are exceedingly rare. We present a unique case of a 40-year-old male patient with PKD who developed a renal cyst infection caused by Brucella abortus following exposure to livestock. Despite initial negative urine cultures, blood cultures confirmed the diagnosis of Brucella infection. The patient was successfully treated with a combination of doxycycline and rifampin. This case underscores the importance of considering zoonotic pathogens in patients with PKD and a history of livestock contact. It also highlights the critical role of early diagnosis and targeted antibiotic therapy in managing such rare infections. Additionally, this study provides a comprehensive review of brucellosis, covering its epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment strategies.
Keywords: Brucella, polycystic kidney disease, zoonosis, Cyst infection, Treatment
Received: 18 Apr 2025; Accepted: 24 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Su, Du, Yang, Zheng and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Hong Zheng, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
Neng Zhang, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
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