Diagnosis of brucella meningitis was made in 10 patients by serological tests on blood and cerebrospinal fluid using Rose Bengal, standard agglutination, indirect immunofluorescent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests and by blood and CSF culture. All patients had significantly elevated antibody titres. In threeBr. melitensiswas isolated both from blood and CSF and in a further three from blood only. Eight patients were 30 years old or less and seven were female. Seven patients had a history of contact with livestock and had consumed raw milk. Meningitis occurred in five, meningoencephalitis with hemiplegia in one, paraplegia and cranial nerve palsies in one and psychosis and/or nightmares in three. Transient Parkinsonism was seen in one patient and generalized rigidity and non-Parkinsonian tremors in another. Computerized tomography revealed ventricular dilation in one patient and punctate hyperdense, non-enhancing shadows in the lentiform nuclei in two others. Treatment with a combination of tetracycline, rifampicin and streptomycin was successful.
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