PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF NEONATAL COLONIZATIO N AND INFECTION WITH GENITAL MYCOPLASMAS

Genital mycoplasmas have been implicated in different neonatal disease s as pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis. This prospective study was cond ucted to specify their role in these diseases. Population and methods. - A pharyngeal or tracheal swab specimen for mycoplasmas culture was obtained from 100 infants admitted consecutively to the Neonatal Care Unit (NCU) during the first 24 hours of life. Mycoplasma culture of bl ood and cerebrospinal fluid was also performed Pharyngeal and/or trach eal specimens were collected again on days 5, 15 and 28 if the child w as still in the NCU. Mycoplasma hominis (Mh) and Ureaplasma urealyticu m (Uu) were identified by culture in a modified Hayflick's medium. Res ults. - Three-hundred and ten pharyngeal or tracheal swabs were obtain ed (100 on day 0, 89 on day 5, 72 on day 15 and 49 on day 28). Twenty- one infants had one or more positive swabs in the first five days of l ife (20 on day O and one on day 5); those forming the ''Myco +'' group and the others forming the ''Myco -'' group. Uu was isolated alone fr om 20 infants, associated with Mh from one. Both groups were similar f or gestational age, birth weight, maternal fever during labor, prolong ed rupture of the fetal membranes or chorioamnionitis and for the inci dence of acute respiratory distress. There was a statistically signifi cant difference for the route of delivery (chi(2) < 0.02). One blood c ulture (from 92 performed) was positive for Uu and another positive fo r Uu and Mh. Both children were cured without any specific mycoplasmac idal therapy. Three children had probable Uu infection and were also c ured without specific therapy. Conclusions. - A pharyngeal colonizatio n with genital mycoplasmas is common in the first days of life (21%) b ut our data do not allow us to conclude that they are accountable for newborn infections.