Abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical and laboratory characteristics of brucellosis for improving diagnosis of the disease in the non-epidemic areas. Methods A retrospective analysis of the clinical data was performed in 10 cases of brucellosis in the hospital from 2015 to 2018. Results Brucellosis mainly occurred between March and August of the year, commonly noted in middle-aged men. Seventy percent of the patients had the history of exposure to infected animals. The white blood cell(WBC) counts were normal or reduced. High C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)were the most common laboratory findings (accounting for 80%). Final diagnosis was made by identifying bacteria Brucella sp. With VITEK2 Compact, the average time of positive reports in blood culture was 3.8 days. Conclusion Patients with brucellosis showed different clinical and laboratory features. Attention should be paid to brucellosis in non-epidemic areas, particularly in those who presented failed treatment for unexplained long-term fever or joint muscle pain. Blood culture examination of the suspected patients is recommended so as to avoid missing diagnosis.

Key words: Brucellosis, Clinical Features, Laboratory Examination