Pregnancy associated with brucellosis and acute viral hepatitis: course and outcome [co-infections in pregnancy]

ABSTRACT

To assess the outcome and course of pregnancies complicated by Brucellosis [BCS] and acute viral hepatitis [AVH] infections. Prospective study. Diyarbakir State Hospital, Turkey. Eighty-eight pregnant women admitted to Diyarbakir State Hospital, Turkey. Serum agglutination test [SAT], Coombs anti-Brucella test and / or blood culture system were used in the diagnosis of BCS. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays [ELISA] and polymerase chain reaction [PCR] was used in the diagnosis of viral hepatitis. The clinical course and delivery pattern of 32 healthy pregnant women was compared with that of 32 pregnant women who had BCS and 24 pregnant women who were concurrently infected with BCS and AVH. There was no maternal mortality. Preterm delivery occurred in 18.75% of the 32 pregnant women with BCS and 37.5% of 24 pregnant women with BCS and AVH [P = 0.004]. The incidence of low birth weight was also significant between the two groups [p < 0.0001]. Antepartum hemorrhage might be warning sign of the occurrence of complications in pregnant women with BCS and AVH [p < 0.001]. An important observation from the present study is that maternal BCS and AVH [even concurrent] had no effect on the incidence of congenital malformations or stillbirths; it did increase the incidence of prematurity and low birth weight over that seen in the general delivery population. In spite of the high complication rates, BCS and AVH in pregnancy are well-tolerated diseases even when they occur together