Waddlia chondrophila, a potential agent of human fetal death

We investigated the zoonotic potential of Waddlia chondrophila, a new Chlamydia-like abortigenic agent in ruminants. Anti-Waddlia antibody reactivity was tested by immunofluorescence and Western blot. Waddlia seroprevalence was higher in women who had had sporadic and recurrent miscarriages than in control women (p < 0.001). Waddlia spp. may represent a cause of human fetal loss.