Congenital Brucellosis in an Infant

Abstract

Background: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease involving several organs with different presentations. It is primarily a disease of animals. Human infection is usually acquired by close contact with infected animals or consumption of unpasteurized dairy products. The major reservoirs include goat, sheep, swine and cattle. Human to human transmission : of brucellosis is a rare entity, especially perinatal transmission. This report is introducing congenital transmission of brucellosis. Patient: A pregnant woman with brucellosis referred when she was on 32nd week of gestation. She transferred brucellosis to her off-spring due to inappropriate therapy. After definite diagnosis, a standard treatment was commenced and they were doing well while relapse was not seen. Conclusion: Brucellosis can be transmitted perinatally, although it is a rare entity. A combination of rifampin and trimethoprime-sulfamethoxazole can be safely prescribed for brucellosis during pregnancy, except for the first trimester and the last 2-4 weeks of pregnancy.