title: An unusual cause of sepsis during pregnancy: recognizing infection with chlamydophila abortus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chlamydophila abortus (formerly Chlamydia psittaci serovar 1) is a rare but severe cause of gestational septicemia, with particular problems in diagnosis and clinical management.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 32-year-old woman in her fourth pregnancy (16th week of gestation) presented with progressive septicemia after extensive contact with abortive material from her goat flock. Treatment with levofloxacin could not prevent abortion. Multiorgan failure requiring catecholamines and artificial ventilation developed in the patient. After the agent was identified by polymerase chain reaction from acute-phase serum, macrolides were administered and yielded clinical improvement. The patient fully recovered. There were no sequelae in the subsequent 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cp abortus must be considered in gestational septicemia after contact with ruminants. Polymerase chain reaction from acute-phase serum is a quick and easy way to establish the diagnosis. Macrolide antibiotics are still the treatment of choice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Social Medicine, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria, and Department of Anesthesiology, Regional Hospital of Sterzing, Sterzing, Italy. gernot.walder@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walder
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hotzel
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brezinka
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Gritsch
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tauber
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Würzner
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ploner
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002691:Chlamydophila psittaci / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005260:Female; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D006041:Goats; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D018942:Macrolides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D009956:Psittacosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D015047:Zoonoses
chemical_list: D018942:Macrolides; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin