Congenital brucellosis in a preterm infant: A case report from France and literature review

ABSTRACT Brucellosis is a bacterial zoonosis, that has become extremely rare in France unlike many countries in the Mediterranean basin, where it remains endemic and is a cause of travel-related morbidity. We have reported the first case of neonatal brucellosis in France since 1990, involving a preterm infant born at 26 weeks with Brucella melitensis chorioamnionitis, due to mother-to-fetal transmission. The newborn was successfully treated with intravenous cefotaxime and rifampicin for one month, followed by oral dual therapy with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and rifampicin for a total of six weeks. With increasing mobility and food imports, brucellosis should be considered in newborns with sepsis, especially those with a maternal travel history to endemic areas and consumption of high-risk food.