Methods

SYNOPSIS The case described here is that of young primigravida in normal health who, on serological evidence, contracted acute brucellosis, and subsequently aborted spontaneously, Br. abortus biotype 2 being isolated from the amniotic fluid. Little is known of the part played by infection with Br. abortus as a cause of abortion in the human species. Several writers associate abortion with the presence of clinical and serological evidence of infection (Simpson and Fraizer, 1929; deCarle, 1931; del Vecchio, 1936; Williamson, 1944). Br. abortus has on occasion been isolated from foetal and placental extract after abortion (Carpenter and Boak, 1931). However, Huddleson (1943) states that there is no tendency to abortion in ordinary cases of brucellosis but where there is a prolonged high temperature, abortion is likely. Likewise Spink (1956) states that there is no definite evidence that brucellosis is more likely to result in abortion than infection with any other species of bacteria