Probable transmission of brucellosis from breast milk to a newborn.

The first case of neonatal brucellosis is described. The baby was fed breast milk only when the mother became acutely ill with fever, arthralgia and malaise. At the same time the baby was febrile. Blood cultures grew Brucella melitensis in both mother and child. The brucella agglutination titre in the breast milk was 1:2560. Both mother and child recovered during treatment with streptomycin.