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Updated: Aug 18, 2026
Human Placental and Decidual Organ Cultures to Study Infections at the Maternal-fetal Interface
Published on: July 21, 2016
IL-8 concentrations in maternal serum, amniotic fluid and cord blood in relation to different pathogens within the
Armin Witt1, Angelika Berger, Christian J Gruber
1University of Vienna Medical School, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A -1090 Vienna/Austria. armin.witt@meduniwien.ac.at
Objective:
The association between elevated interleukin (IL)-8 concentrations in amniotic fluid and preterm delivery is well described. Little consideration has been given to the impact of different groups of microorganisms within the amniotic cavity on IL-8 concentration.
Methods:
We collected amniotic fluid, placental tissue and amniotic membranes during preterm cesarean sections for bacterial culture. In addition, we determined IL-8 concentrations in maternal serum, amniotic fluid and cord blood and correlated them with the various intra-amniotic pathogens isolated by bacterial culture.
Results:
IL-8 concentrations were determined in amniotic fluid in 107 cases, in cord blood in 185 cases and in maternal blood in 158 cases. Women with intra-amniotic Ureaplasma urealyticum infection had significantly higher amniotic fluid concentrations of IL-8 than those without (P< 0.001). In cord blood, we found significantly elevated IL-8 concentrations due to intra-amniotic infection with U. urealyticum (P=0.045) and other pathogens (P=0.04). In maternal sera, we found no significant elevation of maternal IL-8 in any of the groups.
Conclusion:
Intrauterine infection with U. urealyticum seems to play a profound role in the cascade of inflammation and increases IL-8 concentrations in amniotic fluid and cord blood.
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