COLONIZATION OF PREMATURE-INFANTS BY GENI TAL MYCOPLASMA AS A POTENTIAL ETIOLOGIC FACTOR FOR CHRONIC LUNG-DISEASE PERSISTENCE

Genital mycoplasmas, Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis are involved in various genital tract infections such as nun-gonococcal u rethritis. chorioamnionitis, salpingitis or post-partum septicemia. Bo th M. hominis and U. urealyticum have been reported in neonatal infect ions as meningitidis and chronic lung disease in preterm infants, but the cause and effect relationships are not clear. The purpose of this one-year prospective study including eighty premature infants was to e valuate (i) the prevalence of genital mycoplasma colonization in prema ture infants, (ii) the outcome of colonization during assisted ventila tion and (iii) the association between mycoplasmal colonization and ch ronic lung disease (CLD). Tracheal and gastric aspirates and blood cul tures were obtained within 30 minutes after birth. These samples were obtained once a week for the included infants which needed assisted ve ntilation. The incidence of U. urealyticum and M. hominis detected at birth were respectively 16.2 % and 2.5 %. Mycoplasmal tracheal coloniz ation is not tile only etiologic agent of CLD, no etiological relation ship existed between mycoplasmal colonization and CLD. However, in pre mature infants with CLD. colonization by mycoplasma may be a cause of CLD persistance and may lead to prolonge assisted ventilation.