Brucella septicemia in pregnancy

A case of Brucella melitensis septicemia in a second-trimester pregnancy causing intrauterine fetal death and Gram-negative septic shock with diffuse intravascular coagulation is reported. The literature is reviewed. This is the first reported case of human brucellosis in association with Gram-negative sepsis and DIC during pregnancy. The importance of blood cultures and agglutinins for Brucella in febrile pregnant patients is re-emphasized.