- L Zettell: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Hutzel Hospital Wayne State University, 4707 St. Antoine Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
BACKGROUND: Septic abortion caused by transplacental salmonella infection is extremely rare; there are no reported cases of serotype oranienburg as an etiology.
CASE: We describe a patient with non-typhoidal Salmonella enteritidis serotype oranienburg as a cause of first-trimester pregnancy loss. The rapid progression of this patient's septicemia and adverse outcome is described. The epidemiology and natural history of salmonella infections are also discussed.
CONCLUSION: Non-typhoidal salmonella is still a cause of morbidity in Western countries. This infection can result in rapid-onset fetal demise and septic abortion.