title: Sheep-acquired severe Chlamydia psittaci infection in pregnancy.
abstract: There have been five confirmed cases of severe Chlamydia psittaci infection during pregnancy, three having been treated in Edinburgh, Scotland. The most recent case is presented and previous experience is reviewed. The illness usually causes thrombocytopenia with disseminated intravascular coagulation, renal failure and hepatic dysfunction during the late second and early third trimester. The outcome for the fetus is usually fatal and the infection only resolves after delivery or abortion. The main hope is for education to prevent infection occurring in susceptible populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Helm
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Smart
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Cumming
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Lambie
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: MacAulay
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000027:Abortion, Incomplete / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000209:etiology*; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012756:Sheep; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000209:etiology; D015047:Zoonoses