Brucellosis in Pregnant Women

 Written by: Wahida Sabir

Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that spreads from animals to humans. Brucellosis could cause problems for all people but it might create serious health problems for mothers and fetuses in pregnant women.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some mothers and a physician about this disease.

Zarmena, a resident of Logar province says, “I was sweating during brucellosis, and had a mild fever and pain in my legs and back. My seven-month-old baby lost his movements and he was stillborn.”

A woman from Balkh province says, “ I was lethargic and tired, I was sweating at night, my two children, who were two months old, did not grow and they died, and I aborted my 4 months old baby. When I checked my blood, I was suffering from brucellosis.”

Doctor Pashtoon Jalalzai, obstetrician and gynecologist at one of the private hospitals in Kabul city says, “Signs and symptoms of brucellosis in pregnant women are fever, muscle aches, night sweats, nausea, weight loss, liver, and spleen enlargement. Consequences of this disease include abortion, death of the child in the womb, the birth of a disabled child and even death of mother and child.”

What do some people think about the causes of this disease?

The woman from Balkh province says, “We do not have cattle and other livestock at home and I don’t know why my blood was infected with Brucella.”

Imaduddin, a resident of Paghman district, Kabul province says, “Touching and breathing the breath of livestock also could cause brucellosis.”

Zarmena says, “After eating a dish of kebab in a restaurant in the bazaar, I felt a fever and when I tested my blood, they diagnosed me with brucellosis.”

Doctor Jalalzai says, “If a pregnant woman drinks raw milk; eats not well-cooked meat, rubbing an infected hand on her eyes; having close contact with animals without gloves and touching animals feces; not washing hand with soap after milking livestock; eating semi-raw kebab and eating infected animals products could cause brucellosis.” 

How do some pregnant women prevent brucellosis?

A woman from Chaharasiab district, Kabul province, who doesn’t want to mention her name in the program, says, “We raise cattle at home and we have built a barn away from living rooms. I wash my hands with soap before and after milking cows. I well boil the milk before drinking; I always wear gloves during sweeping the barn and none of us has suffered from brucellosis yet.”

A woman from Shakardara district, Kabul province says, “I wash my hands after cooking meat and cook well the meat to prevent brucellosis.”

Doctor Jalalzai says, “Animals' barn should be built away from living rooms, women should wear facemasks when milking cows. Wash the meat with soap before and after milking and after cooking meat, do not eat semi-raw meat, use gloves in contact with animals, and then wash their hands with soap and change their clothes. And if they notice any symptoms of brucellosis, they should go to a doctor for treatment.”