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Second-trimester abortion caused by Capnocytophaga sputigena: case report
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Turku, Finland.
American Journal of Perinatology
|August 24, 1999
Summary
Intra-amniotic infection can cause second-trimester abortions. This case highlights Capnocytophaga sputigena, from oral sex, as a rare cause of fetal pneumonia and abortion.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology
Background:
- Intra-amniotic infection is a common cause of mid-trimester pregnancy loss.
- Typically, infections involve low-pathogenicity bacteria like Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma species.
Observation:
- This report details a rare case of intra-amniotic infection caused by Capnocytophaga sputigena.
- Capnocytophaga sputigena is a bacterium typically found in the oral cavity, not the vagina.
- The infection was likely transmitted through oral sex during pregnancy.
Findings:
- The aborted fetus exhibited histological evidence of pneumonia.
- Broad-spectrum 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and bacterial culture identified Capnocytophaga sputigena in the amniotic fluid.
- Low amniotic fluid glucose levels confirmed intra-amniotic infection.
Implications:
- This case expands the spectrum of bacteria implicated in intra-amniotic infections and pregnancy loss.
- It underscores the potential risk of oral sex during pregnancy in transmitting oral flora to the genital tract.
- Highlights the importance of considering diverse bacterial etiologies in unexplained fetal loss and pneumonia.