Incidence of invasive Ureaplasma in VLBW infants: relationship to severe intraventricular hemorrhage

doi:doi:10.1038/jp.2008.98

Journal of Perinatology (2008) 28, 759–765; doi:10.1038/jp.2008.98; published online 3 July 2008

Incidence of invasive Ureaplasma in VLBW infants: relationship to severe intraventricular hemorrhage

R M Viscardi¹, N Hashmi¹, G W Gross², C-Cj Sun³, A Rodriguez^1,4 and K D Fairchild^1,5

¹Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
²Department of Radiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
³Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

Correspondence: Dr RM Viscardi, Department of Pediatrics, University of Maryland, 29 S. Greene St., Room GS110, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. E-mail: rviscard@umaryland.edu

⁴Current address: Dr A Rodriguez, Pediatrix Medical Group, Boca Raton Community Hospital, 800 Meadows Rd, Boca Raton, Fl 33486, USA. E-mail: andres2home@aol.com

⁵Current address: KD Fairchild, Virginia Health System, University of Virginia, Department of Pediatrics, Box 800386, Hospital Drive, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. E-mail: kdf2n@virginia.edu

Received 28 February 2008; Revised 21 May 2008; Accepted 22 May 2008; Published online 3 July 2008.

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Abstract

Objective:

As Ureaplasmas may be pathogens in preterm infants, this study was conducted to determine the incidence of invasive disease with Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum and the relationship with adverse outcomes in a prospective cohort of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.

Study Design:

DNA was extracted from the cord or venous blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples obtained from 313 VLBW infants. PCR was performed using primers for the mba gene to detect all 14 serovars and then repeated for all positive samples using species-specific primers.

Result:

Ureaplasma species were detected in serum and/or CSF samples from 74 of 313 (23.6%) infants. U. parvum was the predominant species (70%). Presence of Ureaplasma was significantly associated with elevated interleukin-1 beta in cord blood (odds ratio (OR) 2.6, 1.05 to 6.45, P=0.039). Ureaplasma serum-positive infants had a 2.3-fold increased risk of intraventicular hemorrhage greater than or equal to grade 3 (OR 2.50; 1.06 to 5.89, P=0.036).