A prospective study of mycoplasma infection in the preterm infant.
The nasopharyngeal aspirates of 235 infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit over a 14-month period were tested for the presence of Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis. Serological studies were carried out on 41 infants. U. urealyticum was isolated from 53 (22%) babies and was not associated with illness. There was a significant association between U. urealyticum colonization and preterm birth, low birth weight and prolonged rupture of membranes (PROM). M. hominis was isolated in six babies (2.6%). Three of these developed an immune response; in two of these pneumonia was seen. M. hominis may be a cause of pneumonia in the preterm infant.
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000382:microbiology*; D011019:Pneumonia, Mycoplasma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014509:Ureaplasma / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M