Isolation of genital mycoplasmas from blood obtained shortly after vaginal delivery.
Blood obtained from three hundred and twenty-seven women within a few minutes of vaginal delivery was cultured for genital mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma hominis and T mycoplasmas). Twenty-six (8%) of the women had genital mycoplasmas isolated from their blood. Ten women had blood-cultures which contained M. hominis. Fifteen women had blood-cultures which contained T mycoplasmas. Both M. hominis and T mycoplasmas were isolated from the blood of one woman. Only one of two hundred and seventy-three blood-cultures obtained 1 or more days after delivery contained mycoplasmas. The isolation of M. hominis, but not of T mycoplasmas, from the blood was associated with vaginal colonisation and a serological response to the homologous isolate. Two of ten women whose blood contained M. hominis gave birth to stillborn infants. In contrast, there were only four (1.3%) stillbirths among the infants born to the three hundred and one women whose blood did not contain mycoplasmas. This difference is statistically significant.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D001724:Birth Weight; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D003470:Culture Media; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010460:Peptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011247:Pregnancy; D011424:Propionibacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013997:Time Factors; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D003470:Culture Media