title: Association of Vac A- and Cag A-specific Helicobacter pylori strain infection with spontaneous preterm birth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To better understand the correlation between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) seropositivity and spontaneous preterm birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 320 pregnant women were classified into two groups: normal control singleton pregnant group (n = 264) and singleton spontaneous preterm birth group (n = 56). Blood samples were collected at the time of delivery, and the H. pylori IgG, various virulence factors and systemic inflammation status were compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Between the two groups, the serum H. pylori IgG, Cytotoxin-associated agntigen A (Cag A), Vacuolating cytotoxin A (Vac A) significantly increased in spontaneous preterm birth group than in the control group. Also, in preterm group, highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) as a systemic inflammatory marker is statistically elevated at inflammatory status range. Whereas in the term pregnant group, hsCRP was normal range even though high incidence of H. pylori IgG seropositivity. Also, in the seropositive group, hsCRP is statistically correlated with H. pylori IgG, Cag A and Vac A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an association between the presence of antibodies against H. pylori in maternal serum and the development of preterm birth. Furthermore, serology type of H. pylori with Vac A, Cag A relates to preterm birth even though high H. pylori prevalence rate.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine , Seoul , Korea and.
authors.forename: Seung Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine , Seoul , Korea and.
authors.forename: Han Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine , Seoul , Korea and.
authors.forename: In Sook
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: b Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University , Seoul , Korea.
authors.forename: Young Ju
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine , Seoul , Korea and.
authors.forename: Han Sung
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C074689:VacA protein, Helicobacter pylori; C080866:cagA protein, Helicobacter pylori
keywords: Helicobacter pylori seropositivity; highly sensitive C-reactive protein; spontaneous preterm birth