Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Neonatal brucellosis

  • Short Communications
  • Published:
European Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Three Arab children with neonatal brucellosis are described. The first presented with late neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia, the second with a septicoemia-like picture and the third was born prematurely and presented with respiratory distress. The diagnosis of brucellosis was based on a positive blood culture and on a high or rising titre of antibodies to the Brucella organism. All the three neonates responded well to antibiotic therapy as monitored by a Brucella titre of less than 1∶40 and a negative blood culture 10 weeks after the onset of therapy. The three mothers had Brucella infections during pregnancy and the Brucella agglutination titre of the breast milk was high. No Brucella microorganism was isolated from the breast milk. The mode of transmission of brucellosis in neonates is discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

B :

Brucella microorganism

FTND:

full term normal delivery

WBC:

white blood cell count

Hb:

Haemoglobin

ESR:

erythrocyte sedementation rate

Lymph:

lymphocytes

TSB:

total serum bilirubin

ELISA:

enzyme linked immunosorbant assay

TMP:

trimethoprim

SMX:

sulphametoxazole

References

  1. Bertrand A, Jonquet O (1982) Traitment antibiotique de la brucellose. Sem Hop (Paris) 58:281–284

    Google Scholar 

  2. Bertrand A, Roux J, Jourdan J, Jonquet O (1979) Traitment de la brucellose par la rifampicine. Resultats preliminaires. Nouv Presse Med 8:3635–3639

    Google Scholar 

  3. Busch LA, Parker RL (1972) Brucellosis in the United States. J Infect Dis 125:289–294

    Google Scholar 

  4. Colmeriero JD, Valdivielso P, Camp MT, Porres JJ, Juarez JTC (1983) Brucellosis: estudio clinico-epidemiologico de 139 cases. Med Clin (Barc) 80:748–753

    Google Scholar 

  5. Feiz J, Sabbaghan H, Miralai M (1976) Brucellosis due to brucella melitensis in children. Clin Pediatr 17:904–907

    Google Scholar 

  6. Feiz JM, Sabbaghian H, Sohrabi F (1978) A comparative study of therapeutic agents used for treatment of acute brucellosis. Br J Clin Pract 27:410–417

    Google Scholar 

  7. Godeau P, Fuchs G, Guillebvin L, Phillippon A, Tucat G, Garbane J, Herson S (1984) Traitment de la brucellose humaine par la refampicine. Sem Hop (Paris) 60:5–9

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kambal AM, Mahgrab ES, Jamjoom GA, Chowdurj MNH (1983) Brucellosis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A microbiological and clinical study. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 77:820–824

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kerr WR, Payne DJH, Robertson L, Coombs RRA (1967) Immunoglobulin class of Brucella antibodies in human sera. Immunology 13:223–225

    Google Scholar 

  10. Matyas Z, Fujikuri T (1984) Brucellosis as a world problem. Dev Biol Standard 56:3–20

    Google Scholar 

  11. Mohamed AE, Makdour MM, Talukder S, Hifzi I (1985) Obstetric and Gynecological presentations in Brucellosis. Arab J Med 4:22–26

    Google Scholar 

  12. Oron O (1983) A premature infant with Brucella abortus infection. Turk J Pediatr 25:139–142

    Google Scholar 

  13. Papapolizas N, Tsians-Papastergiou A, Ioannou O, Katsensis I, Kritikos A (1980) Amoixycillian in the treatment of acute brucellosis. J Infect 2:161–163

    Google Scholar 

  14. Rigatos GA, Polyzos AK, Kappos-Rigatou I (1975) Die Trimethorpim-Sulfamethoxazol Kombination zur Behandlung der Brucellose. Munch Med Wochenschr 117:961–962

    Google Scholar 

  15. Sarrum M, Feiz J, Foruzandeh M, Gazanfar Pour P (1974) Intra uterine fetal infection with brucella melitensis as a possible cause of second trimester abortion. Am J Obstet Gynecol 119:657–660

    Google Scholar 

  16. Schiffman OO (1975) Evaluation of anti-infective combination. Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra) Am J Med Ass 231:635–637

    Google Scholar 

  17. Sharda DC, Lubani M (1986) A study of brucellosis in childhood. Clin Pediatr 25:492–495

    Google Scholar 

  18. Siddiqui HJ (1985) Brucellosis in the Middle East. Postgr Dr Middle East 485–490

  19. Spink WW (1950) Clinical aspects of human brucellosis (1950). In: Brucellosis: A symposium under the joint auspices of the National Institutes of Health, United States Department of Agriculture and National Research Council. American Association of Advancement of Science, Washington DC, p 136

    Google Scholar 

  20. Street Jr, MAJL, Grant WW, Alva JD (1975) Brucellosis in childhood. Pediatrics 55:416–420

    Google Scholar 

  21. Wilkinson PC (1966) Immunoglobulin patterns of antibodies against Brucella in man and animals. J Immunol 96:457–463

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Paediatrics and Laboratory, Farwania and Adan Hospital, 81004, Farwania, Kuwait

    M. M. Lubani, K. I. Dudin, D. C. Sharda, N. M. Abu Sinna, T. Al-Shab, A. A. Al-Refe'ai, S. M. Labani & A. Nasrallah

Authors
  1. M. M. Lubani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. I. Dudin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. C. Sharda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N. M. Abu Sinna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. T. Al-Shab
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. A. A. Al-Refe'ai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. S. M. Labani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. A. Nasrallah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lubani, M.M., Dudin, K.I., Sharda, D.C. et al. Neonatal brucellosis. Eur J Pediatr 147, 520–522 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00441980

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00441980

Key words

Search

Navigation