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A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development
08:50

A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development

Published on: June 24, 2020

The bacterial load of Ureaplasma parvum in amniotic fluid is correlated with an increased intrauterine inflammatory

David C Kasper1, Thomas P Mechtler, Georg H Reischer

  • 1Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. david.kasper@meduniwien.ac.at

Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease
|March 9, 2010
PubMed

Insights

High bacterial load of Ureaplasma spp. in amniotic fluid is linked to adverse outcomes in preterm infants. Ureaplasma parvum was predominant, with increased load correlating to chorioamnionitis and sepsis.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Research
  • Microbiology
  • Perinatal Medicine

Background:

  • Ureaplasma spp. are common in the amniotic cavity and linked to pregnancy complications.
  • Intrauterine Ureaplasma infection can impact preterm infant outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between Ureaplasma spp. bacterial load and biovar with clinical outcomes in preterm infants.
  • To assess the relationship between Ureaplasma load and intrauterine inflammation.

Main Methods:

  • Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to analyze 118 amniotic fluid samples from preterm infants (<34 weeks gestation).
  • Bacterial load, Ureaplasma biovar (U. urealyticum, U. parvum), and interleukin-8 levels were measured.
  • Correlation with short-term clinical outcomes including histologic chorioamnionitis, premature rupture of membranes (PROM) + preterm labor (PL), early-onset sepsis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia was assessed.

Main Results:

  • Ureaplasma parvum was the predominant biovar.
  • Increased Ureaplasma bacterial load significantly correlated with histologic chorioamnionitis, PROM + PL, early-onset sepsis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
  • A positive correlation was observed between Ureaplasma parvum load and elevated interleukin-8 levels, indicating increased intrauterine inflammation.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial load of Ureaplasma spp., particularly U. parvum, is a significant factor in adverse outcomes for preterm infants.
  • Quantitative assessment of Ureaplasma spp. load is crucial for understanding its clinical impact in intrauterine infections.
  • Elevated Ureaplasma load correlates with heightened inflammatory responses within the amniotic cavity.

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