Mikrobiyoloji Bulteni, cilt.58, sa.4, ss.422-432, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that causes high rates of morbidity and mortality due to difficulties in diagnosis and inadequate treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic significance of presepsin, trigger receptor expressed on soluble myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1), and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) levels in patients with brucellosis. One hundred twenty-one brucellosis patients aged 18 or over and 39 healthy volunteers were included in this prospective study. The cases were classified as either acute, subacute or chronic according to the duration of symptoms. Serum was separated from blood samples taken from all groups and presepsin, sTREM-1, and IFN-gamma levels were determined before treatment. Serum presepsin, sTREM-1, and IFN-gamma levels were all significantly elevated in patients with Brucellosis compared to the control group (p< 0.05). Serum presepsin and sTREM-1 levels were also significantly higher in patients with acute brucellosis compared to the subacute and chronic groups (p< 0.05). The lowest serum IFN-gamma levels were observed in the chronic Brucellosis group. Significant moderately strong, positive correlations were determined between presepsin and sTREM-1 and IFN-gamma values (r= 0.695, r= 0.769, p< 0.001). Significant low-level positive correlations were observed between presepsin and AST, BUN and CRP (r= 0.215, r= 0.214, and r= 0.279, respectively p< 0.05). Higher serum presepsin levels were determined in patients with positive blood cultures than in those with no blood culture growth (p< 0.05). At a threshold value of 469.43 pg/mL, the presepsin test exhibited 95% sensitivity and 89% specificity in differentiating cases of Brucellosis from the healthy group. At a threshold value of 27.14 pg/mL, the sTREM-1 test exhibited 93% sensitivity and 84% specificity in differentiating Brucellosis cases from the healthy control group. Serum presepsin, sTREM-1 and IFN-gamma levels may be helpful in distinguishing patients with Brucellosis from healthy individuals and in differentiating between acute, subacute, and chronic Brucellosis.