Colonization of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum in pregnant women and their transmission to offspring

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum are important opportunistic pathogens that cause urogenital infections and accelerated newborn delivery in pregnant women. Moreover genital mycoplasmas have been implicated in different neonatal diseases such as pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. This study was conducted to find out the prevalence and transmission rate of these two organisms in pregnant women and their neonates. MATERIALS AND METHODS Nasotracheal and pharyngeal specimens of 165 newborns hospitalized at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Rasoul Akram Hospital (during 2010 - 2011) were assessed by PCR to detect M. hominis and U. urealyticum. Moreover, PCR of vaginal specimens from their mothers were obtained to determine the prevalence of these organisms in pregnant women and rate of transmission to their newborns. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS Totally, the results of PCR were positive in 33 newborns (20%). Vaginal colonization among the mothers was found to be 15% (25/165) for U. urealyticum and 15% (25/165) for M. hominis. The transmission rate to their infants was 72% and 60% for U. urealyticum and M. hominis, respectively. CONCLUSION These data indicate that vertical transmission of mycoplasma and ureaplasma are prevalent in newborns. Since these organisms cause serious infections in neonates, it would be better to perform screening tests in pregnant women before the delivery in order to prevent transmission to neonates and consequent infections and morbidities among them.