Comparison of Blood Culture and Serum Levels of Anti-Brucella Antibodies in Spontaneous Abortions with Successful Pregnancies: A Case Study of Southeastern Iran

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to compare blood culture and serum levels of anti-Brucella antibodies between pregnancies leading to abortion and successful pregnancies. Methods: In this case-control study, 60 women with spontaneous abortions were considered the case group, and 60 women with normal pregnancy outcomes were selected as the control group. Both groups were matched. The serology of IgM and IgG antibodies and blood culture was also compared using the enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) method. IgM and IgG levels above and equal to 12 were considered positive titers, and data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20. Results: The mean age of mothers (P ≤ 0.364), the frequency of positive blood cultures for Brucella (P ≤ 0.157), seropositivity of anti-Brucella IgG (P ≤ 0.300), and seropositivity of anti-Brucella IgM (P ≤ 0.057) showed no significant differences between case and control groups; however, mean serum levels of IgM were significantly higher in women with abortion than in the control group (P ≤ 0.042). Conclusions: This study shows that Brucella seropositivity and positive blood culture are no more common in women with spontaneous abortions than in women with normal pregnancy outcomes. However, screening pregnant women for diseases in endemic areas, starting antibiotic treatment, and developing educational strategies for women of childbearing age will help prevent the disease and its adverse complications in pregnancy.