Mycoplasmas and Ureaplasmas as Neonatal Pathogens

Abstract

SUMMARY The genital mycoplasmas represent a complex and unique group of microorganisms that have been associated with a wide array of infectious diseases in adults and infants. The lack of conclusive knowledge regarding the pathogenic potential of Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma spp. in many conditions is due to a general unfamiliarity of physicians and microbiology laboratories with their fastidious growth requirements, leading to difficulty in their detection; their high prevalence in healthy persons; the poor design of research studies attempting to base association with disease on the mere presence of the organisms in the lower urogenital tract; the failure to consider multifactorial aspects of diseases; and considering these genital mycoplasmas only as a last resort. The situation is now changing because of a greater appreciation of the genital mycoplasmas as perinatal pathogens and improvements in laboratory detection, particularly with regard to the development of powerful molecular nucleic acid amplification tests. This review summarizes the epidemiology of genital mycoplasmas as causes of neonatal infections and premature birth; evidence linking ureaplasmas with bronchopulmonary dysplasia; recent changes in the taxonomy of the genus Ureaplasma; the neonatal host response to mycoplasma and ureaplasma infections; advances in laboratory detection, including molecular methods; and therapeutic considerations for treatment of systemic diseases.

Evidence for the predominance of a single tet(M) gene sequence type in tetracycline-resistant Ureaplasma parvum and Mycoplasma hominis isolates from Tunisian patients

“…Similar rates of tetracycline resistance were obtained in Germany according to a study involving 469 mycoplasma isolates (179 ureaplasmas and 290 M. hominis) collected over a 20-year period (Krausse & Schubert, 2010), with observed tetracycline resistance rates of 1-3 and 10-13 %, respectively. However, higher tetracycline resistance rates of U. urealyticum isolates (17 %) were reported in China (Zhou et al, 2011), and the 45 % (45/100) prevalence of tet(M) in ureaplasma isolates collected from a broad geographical area of the USA between 2000 and 2004 (Waites et al, 2005) suggests resistance rates even higher than those reported in Tunisia. Taken together, these data indicate a global variation in tetracycline resistance rates, probably due to different practices and policies.…”

Sensitivity of biochemical test in comparison with other methods for the detection of mycoplasma contamination in human and animal cell lines stored in the National Cell Bank of Iran

“…These polymorphic microorganisms that are categorized in the class of mollicutes and order of tenericutes are also characterized by the lack of a cell wall, self multiplication within 1-9 h and genomic size of 600-2,200 kilobases. Of around 200 species available in the class of mollicutes, some are saprophytes with a commensal life in human, animals, insects, plants and some others like Mycoplasma pneumonia, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum are pathogenic species infecting genitourinary and nasopharyngeal tracts (Harasawa et al 2005;Waites et al 2005).…”

Ureaplasma urealyticum and Ureaplasma parvum in women of reproductive age

“…In humans, urogenital ureaplasma infection is caused by two species, Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) and Ureaplasma parvum (UP), with a total of 14 serotypes. UU has characteristics of biovar T960T (or biovar 2 or A), and includes 10 large genomic serovars (0.88-1.2 Mbps): 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, while UP has characteristics of parvo biovar (or biovar 1 or B) and includes four serovars: 1, 3, 6 and 14 [2,3].…”