[Puerperal infection of ureaplasma urealyticum]

Using indirect agglutination test (IAT), ELISA and metabolic inhibition test (MI), serum specific IgM antibodies to ureaplasma urealyticum (Un) was investigated in 160 women of late pregnancy during the period of 1991-1992. 81 cases (50.6%) were found positive. 65 out of 81 positive mothers had umbilical blood samples examined and placenta tissues cultured. Specific IgM was detected in the umbilical blood of 7 women (10.8%), and ureaplasma urealyticum was isolated from 6 placenta (9.2%). Among Un IgM positive women, 28 (34.6%) were complicated with puerperal fever, and 30 newborns suffered from neonatal pneumonia and fever, which were significantly higher than that in the Un IgM negative group (P < 0.05). This study indicated that ureaplasma urealyticum might be one of the important pathogens for puerperal and neonatal infection.