Genital Mycoplasmas in the Newborn Infants: Colonization, Prevalence and Clinical Significance

Chang, Yun Sil; Kim, Sung Gwon; Kim, Beyong Il; Park, Won Soon; Yoon, Bo Hyun; Kim, Eui Chong; Choi, Jung Hwan; Yun, Chong Ku

Abstract

PURPOSE
The genital mycoplasmas: Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis have recently assumed an increasing importance as neonatal pathogens especially in preterm infants. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of infections with these organisms in newborn infants who were admitted in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit(NICU) and who were suspected having infection in newborn nursery
METHODS
Sixty four inborns who were hospitalized in the NICU of Seoul National University Children's Hospital and Fourty seven term newborns who were born in Seoul National University Hospital and were evaluated for sepsis in the nursery due to high risk mother and baby's clinical symptoms from May 1994 through August 1994 were included in this study. Blood during the first hour of life and throat swabs during the second hours of life of the baby were collected. Tracheal aspirates were collected in the mechanically ventilated infants during the first day of life. Transport media for genital mycoplasma, urea and mycoplasma broth, and urea agar were used for isolation of genital mycoplasmas.
RESULTS
In 64 inborns of NICU included in this study U. urealyticum was isolated in five(11.1%) out of 45 throat swab cultures, one(1.7%) out of 60 blood cultures and one(7.1%) out of 14 tracheal aspirates. M. hominis was isolated in 2 throat cultures. So total 14.3% of these infants harbored genital mycoplasmas. Among 47 term newborns included in this study from nursery, U. urealyticum was isolated 3(8.6%) out of 35 throat swab cultures and one (2.2%) out of 45 blood cultures shortly after birth. M. hominis was not isolated among them. Genital mycoplasma-positive infants in NICU had lesser gestatonal age and lower birth weight than genital mycoplasma- negative infants. Isolation of genital mycoplasmas was also associated with maternal clinical chorioamnionitis. No evidences that neonatal disease such as suspected sepsis, chronic lung disease of prematurity and neonatal outcome such as duration of hospital stay and mortality were related to genital mycoplasmas were noted. Cultures for genital mycoplasmas in amniotic fluid were performed in 26 preterm infants' mothers whose babies hospitalized in NICU and 11 had positve results. Acquisition rate of genital mycoplasmas in their neonates was 54.5%(6/11). One preterm infant who harbored U. urealyticum in the blood exhibited suspected congenital pneumonia.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results demonstrate that colonization with genital mycoplasmas is not uncommon in the newborn infants in Korea and genital mycoplasma-positive preterms had lesser gestational age and lower birth weight than genital mycoplasma- negative preterms. Further study about the relation of genital mycoplasmas to neonatal morbidity will be needed.