title: Preterm labor and neonatal sepsis caused by intrauterine Helicobacter cinaedi infection.
abstract: Helicobacter cinaedi is a rare pathogen but known to cause bacteremia, cellulitis and enterocolitis. Recently, cases of involving various organs are increasingly reported such as endocarditis, meningitis, and kidney cyst infection. We report a case of intrauterine H. cinaedi infection leading preterm birth and neonatal sepsis. A 29-year-old pregnant women who was no underlying disease hospitalized due to threatened preterm labor at 22 weeks of gestation. Clinical findings showed uterine tenderness, fever, leukocytosis and elevated C-reactive protein. H. cinaedi was isolated from amniotic fluid obtained by transabdominal amniocentesis. We diagnosed as intrauterine H. cinaedi infection and administered intravenous ampicillin followed by oxytocin to terminate pregnancy. A live 446 g male infant was delivered. The patient was no signs of infection throughout postpartum course and discharged on post-delivery day 5. The neonate was admitted in neonatal intensive care unit and administered ampicillin and amikacin. H. cinaedi was isolated from umbilical cord blood culture. He has no signs of infection on day 5 but died from uncontrollable hyperglycemia and ketoacidosis on 15 days of age. H. cinaedi can cause intrauterine infection during pregnancy and lead preterm labor and neonatal sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Miyazaki, Japan. Electronic address: yohei_maki@med.miyazaki-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yohei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Seishi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kodama
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Kaeko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sumiyoshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Emi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kino
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Miyazaki, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sameshima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016998:Helicobacter / Q000187:drug effects; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D000071074:Neonatal Sepsis / Q000382:microbiology*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000382:microbiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Helicobacter cinaedi; Intrauterine infection; Neonatal sepsis