Objective To analyze the clinical epidemiological situation and trend of brucellosis in Shanxi Province in order to provide the basis for diagnosis. Methods Brucellosis cases admitted to the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University during January 2013 to December 2015 were included in the study. A retrospective investigation was undertaken and patient files were reviewed for general situation, clinical and laboratory findings, the process of diagnosis and treatments. Results The data of 141 patients were collected, including 100 males and 41 females, the male to female ratio was 2.44 : 1.00; the majority were 51 - 60 years old, 49 cases, accounting for 34.75％; the peak incidence was July and August each year, a total of 51 cases, accounting for 36.17％; of the 141 patients, 112 (79.43％) were professional, 29 (20.57％ ) were non -professional; and the clinical performance was diverse, 114 (80.85％) patients with irregular heat type, only 17 cases (12.06％) showed typical migratory joint pain; 31 cases (21.99％) were first diagnosed with only brucellosis, the shortest misdiagnosis time was 1 week, and the longest 18 month, the average misdiagnosis time was 3 months, and the total misdiagnosis rate was as high as 78.01％ (110/141). Conclusions Significant changes have happened in the clinical epidemiological characteristics of brucellosis in Shanxi Province. Various forms of prevention knowledge propaganda and education should be continually carried out, so as to strengthen the awareness and attention of the clinical workers on the disease.

白细胞介素（IL ）-37是2000年发现的IL-1家族的新成员，并在2001年根据其前体肽命名为IL家族的第七因子IL-1F。其功能为一个基本的先天炎症免疫抑制剂。目前，关于IL-37与自身免疫病类风湿关节炎（RA ）之间关系的研究仍然处于空白。RA是一种以炎症反应造成的肉芽组织和纤维增生，使得关节腔内的血供严重受损的免疫系统疾病。严重的缺血使得局部出现坏死，以累及周围关节为主，其基本病理改变为滑膜炎。RA 的滑膜组织中有大量的CD4＋ T 细胞及其分泌的IL-2、干扰素（IFN ）-γ等细胞因子。此外尚包含有大量的巨噬细胞及其分泌的细胞因子，如肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）-α、IL-1、IL-6、TNF-β及 IL-8等［1］。IL-37作为一种抗炎性细胞因子，可能在自身免疫病中起到抑制过度炎症反应、保护机体自身的作用［2］。