Performances of two rapid LAMP-based techniques for the intrapartum detection of Group B Streptococcus vaginal colonization.

PURPOSE: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of invasive infections in newborns. The prevention of GBS neonatal disease relies on the administration of an intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to GBS-colonized women. In recent years, rapid intrapartum detection of GBS vaginal colonization using real-time nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) emerged as an alternative to antenatal culture screening methods. METHODS: We compared the performances of two loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests, the Ampliflash® GBS and the PlusLife® GBS tests, to standard culture for GBS detection in vaginal specimens from pregnant women. The study was conducted from April to July 2023 in a French hospital of the Paris area. RESULTS: A total of 303 samples were analyzed, including 85 culture-positive samples (28.1%). The Ampliflash® GBS test and the PlusLife® GBS tests gave a result for 100% and 96.3% tests, respectively. The performances of the tests were as follows: sensitivity 87.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78.3-92.6) and 98.7% (95% CI 93.0-99.8), specificity 99.1% (95% CI 96.7-99.8), and 91.9% (95% CI 87.3-95.0), respectively. False negative results of the Ampliflash® GBS test correlated with low-density GBS cultures. Time-to-results correlated with GBS culture density only for the PlusLife® GBS test (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Both techniques provide excellent analytical performances with high sensitivity and specificity together with a short turnaround time and results available in 10 to 35 min. Their potential to further reduce the burden of GBS neonatal disease compared with antenatal culture screening needs to be assessed in future clinical studies.

Genital Dysbiosis and Different Systemic Immune Responses Based on the Trimester of Pregnancy in SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Respiratory infections are common in pregnancy with conflicting evidence supporting their association with neonatal congenital anomalies, especially during the first trimester. We profiled cytokine and chemokine systemic responses in 242 pregnant women and their newborns after SARS-CoV-2 infection, acquired in different trimesters. Also, we tested transplacental IgG passage and maternal vaginal-rectal microbiomes. IgG transplacental passage was evident, especially with infection acquired in the first trimester. G-CSF concentration-involved in immune cell recruitment-decreased in infected women compared to uninfected ones: a beneficial event for the reduction of inflammation but detrimental to ability to fight infections at birth. The later the infection was acquired, the higher the systemic concentration of IL-8, IP-10, and MCP-1, associated with COVID-19 disease severity. All infected women showed dysbiosis of vaginal and rectal microbiomes, compared to uninfected ones. Two newborns tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 within the first 48 h of life. Notably, their mothers had acute infection at delivery. Although respiratory infections in pregnancy are reported to affect babies' health, with SARS-CoV-2 acquired early during gestation this risk seems low because of the maternal immune response. The observed vaginal and rectal dysbiosis could be relevant for neonatal microbiome establishment, although in our series immediate neonatal outcomes were reassuring.

Carriage of antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales among pregnant women and newborns in Amhara, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVES: Infections are one of the most common causes of neonatal mortality, and maternal colonization has been associated with neonatal infection. In this study, we sought to quantify carriage prevalence of extended-spectrum-beta-lactamase (ESBL) -producing and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) among pregnant women and their neonates and to characterize risk factors for carriage in rural Amhara, Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study nested in the Birhan field site. We collected rectal and vaginal samples from 211 pregnant women in their third trimester and/or during labor/delivery and perirectal or stool samples from 159 of their neonates in the first week of life. RESULTS: We found that carriage of ESBL-producing organisms was fairly common (women: 22.3%, 95% CI: 16.8-28.5; neonates: 24.5%, 95% CI: 18.1-32.0), while carriage of CRE (women: 0.9%, 95% CI: 0.1-3.4; neonates: 2.5%, 95% CI: 0.7-6.3) was rare. Neonates whose mothers tested positive for ESBL-producing organisms were nearly twice as likely to also test positive for ESBL-producing organisms (38.7% vs 21.1%, P-value = 0.06). Carriage of ESBL-producing organisms was also associated with Woreda (district) of sample collection and recent antibiotic use. CONCLUSION: Understanding carriage patterns of potential pathogens and antibiotic susceptibility among pregnant women and newborns will inform local, data-driven recommendations to prevent and treat neonatal infections.

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with maternal and congenital syphilis - A prospective study in Peru.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore the factors and outcomes associated with gestational syphilis in Peru. METHODS: Women from the miscarriage, vaginal delivery, and C-section wards from a large maternity hospital in Lima with or without syphilis diagnosis were enrolled and their pregnancy outcomes compared. Maternal syphilis status using maternal blood and child serostatus using cord blood were determined by rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and rapid syphilis tests. The newborns' clinical records were used to determine congenital syphilis. RESULTS: A total of 340 women were enrolled, 197 were positive and 143 were negative for RPR/rapid syphilis tests. Antibody titers in sera from cord and maternal blood were comparable with RPR titers and were highly correlated (rho = 0.82, P <0.001). Young age (P = 0.009) and lower birth weight (P = 0.029) were associated with gestational syphilis. Of the women with gestational syphilis, 76% had received proper treatment. Mothers of all newborns with congenital syphilis also received appropriate treatment. Treatment of their sexual partners was not documented. CONCLUSIONS: Syphilis during pregnancy remains a major cause of the fetal loss and devastating effects of congenital syphilis in newborns.

Analytical performances of a point-of-care loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay to detect Group B Streptococcus in intrapartum pregnant women living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

OBJECTIVES: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading infectious cause of stillbirth and neonatal morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: Vaginal and rectovaginal swab samples were obtained from 274 intrapartum pregnant women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be analyzed for GBS DNA detection in parallel by the point-of-care BIOSYNEX AMPLIFLASH® GBS assay (Biosynex SA, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France) and by reference quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). RESULTS: Rectovaginal swabbing, nearly two-fold more positive for GBS than vaginal swabbing alone, showed a high prevalence of GBS DNA positivity in 20.1% of eligible intrapartum pregnant women. In the event of significant bacterial carriage (i.e., cycle threshold ≤33 by reference qPCR), the AMPLIFLASH® GBS assay with rectovaginal swabbing showed high sensitivity (98.1%) and specificity (100.0%) for GBS DNA detection, with excellent concordance, reliability, and accuracy with the reference qPCR, and positive predictive values and negative predictive values above 99.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates a high rate of female rectogenital GBS colonization in pregnant Congolese women. The AMPLIFLASH® GBS assay harbored excellent analytical performances in the field, which makes it suitable to be used as point-of-care molecular assay in various hospital and non-hospital settings where rapid diagnosis of GBS is necessary.

Membrane inflammasome activation by choriodecidual Ureaplasma parvum infection without intra-amniotic infection in a Non-Human Primate model†.

Intrauterine infection is a significant cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Ureaplasma parvum is a microorganism commonly isolated from cases of preterm birth and preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM). However, the mechanisms of early stage ascending reproductive tract infection remain poorly understood. To examine inflammation in fetal (chorioamnionic) membranes we utilized a non-human primate (NHP) model of choriodecidual U. parvum infection. Eight chronically catheterized pregnant rhesus macaques underwent maternal-fetal catheterization surgery at ~105-112 days gestation and choriodecidual inoculation with U. parvum (105 CFU/mL, n =4) or sterile media (controls; n = 4) starting at 115-119 days, repeated at 5-day intervals until C-section at 136-140 days (term=167 days). The average inoculation to delivery interval was 21 days, and Ureaplasma infection of the amniotic fluid (AF) was undetectable in all animals. Choriodecidual Ureaplasma infection resulted in increased fetal membrane expression of MMP-9 and PTGS2, but did not result in preterm labor or increased concentrations of AF pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, membrane expression of inflammasome sensors, NLRP3, NLRC4, AIM2, and NOD2, and adaptor ASC (PYCARD) gene expression were significantly increased. Gene expression of IL-1ß, IL-18, IL-18R1  , CASPASE-1, and pro-CASPASE-1 protein increased with Ureaplasma infection. Downstream inflammatory genes MYD88 and NFκB (Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) were also significantly upregulated. These results demonstrate that choriodecidual Ureaplasma infection, can cause activation of inflammasome complexes and pathways associated with pPROM and preterm labor prior to microbes being detectable in the AF.

First trimester "clean catch" urine and vaginal swab sample distinct microbiological niches.

IMPORTANCE: Untreated asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including pyelonephritis, preterm labor, and low birth weight infants. Thus, routine screening by standard urine culture (SUC) and treatment of ASB are currently recommended for all pregnant women. For this purpose, some researchers claim that vaginal swabs and urine samples can be used as proxies for each other. Because SUC often misses microbes, we used two more sensitive, recently validated detection methods to compare the composition of the urinary and vaginal microbiomes of pregnant females in their first trimester. Both methods yielded similar results. Vaginal and urinary microbial compositions for the same individual were significantly correlated; however, they were not equivalent. We argue that first trimester urinary and vaginal microbiomes are distinct enough to preclude their use as proxies for each other.

GBS hyaluronidase mediates immune suppression in a TLR2/4- and IL-10-dependent manner during pregnancy-associated infection.

IMPORTANCE: Bacteria such as GBS can cause infections during pregnancy leading to preterm births, stillbirths, and neonatal infections. The interaction between host and bacterial factors during infections in the placenta is not fully understood. GBS secretes a hyaluronidase enzyme that is thought to digest host hyaluronan into immunosuppressive disaccharides that dampen TLR2/4 signaling, leading to increased bacterial dissemination and adverse outcomes. In this study, we show that GBS HylB mediates immune suppression and promotes bacterial infection during pregnancy that requires TLR2, TLR4, and IL-10. Understanding the interaction between host and bacterial factors can inform future therapeutic strategies to mitigate GBS infections.

Beyond TORCH: A narrative review of the impact of antenatal and perinatal infections on the risk of disability.

Infections and inflammation during pregnancy or early life can alter child neurodevelopment and increase the risk for structural brain abnormalities and mental health disorders. There is strong evidence that TORCH infections (i.e., Treponema pallidum, Toxoplasma gondii, rubella virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes virus) alter fetal neurodevelopment across multiple developmental domains and contribute to motor and cognitive disabilities. However, the impact of a broader range of viral and bacterial infections on fetal development and disability is less well understood. We performed a literature review of human studies to identify gaps in the link between maternal infections, inflammation, and several neurodevelopmental domains. We found strong and moderate evidence respectively for a higher risk of motor and cognitive delays and disabilities in offspring exposed to a range of non-TORCH pathogens during fetal life. In contrast, there is little evidence for an increased risk of language and sensory disabilities. While guidelines for TORCH infection prevention during pregnancy are common, further consideration for prevention of non-TORCH infections during pregnancy for fetal neuroprotection may be warranted.

Edwardsiella tarda is an Important Causative Agent of Maternal-Fetal Infections in Pregnant Women: a Case Report and Japanese Literature Review.

Volume 76, no 1, p. 80-83, 2023. Page 81, Table 1 should appear as shown below.

Study on the Correlation between Genital Tract Microenvironment and GBS Carrier Rate of Late-Stage Pregnant Women in Dongguan.

BACKGROUND: The carrier rate of group B Streptococcus (GBS) in the genital tract of women in the late stage of pregnancy and its correlation with the genital tract microenvironment were investigated in a group of pregnant women in Dongguan, China, to provide a basis for the clinical prevention and treatment of GBS. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was done of the results of routine testing for GBS, leucorrhea and bacterial vaginosis (BV) in 6,166 women in the late stage of pregnancy (35 - 37 weeks of gestation) who underwent a prenatal examination at Dongguan Southeast Central Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020. GBS positivity was detected by RT-PCR. Normal saline floating microscopy was used to detect routine indicators of leucorrhea, including white blood cells (WBCs), Lactobacillus (Lab), vulvovaginal Candida (VVC), and trichomoniasis (TV). BV was detected based on an enzymatic reaction. The correlation between GBS infection and age and the vaginal microenvironment was determined statistically. RESULTS: The rate of GBS positivity was 10.53% (649/6,166) and was statistically significant for women 20 years of age (p < 0.05). Logistic regression showed that abnormal VVC, TV, BV, WBCs, and Lactobacillus were associated with GBS infection. The results of a rank sum test of the WBC group showed that the infection risk in groups with < 15 WBCs/hpf increased as the WBC count increased, but there was no statistical difference between groups with > 15 WBCs/hpf. The rank sum test results for Lactobacillus showed a significant difference between the abnormal and normal and other groups, but no significant difference between the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The overall carrier rate of GBS in the genital tract of late-stage pregnant women in Dongguan was 10.53%. GBS infection is related to the genital tract microenvironment. Our results provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of clinically confirmed GBS.

Interspecies Interactions within the Host: the Social Network of Group B Streptococcus.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a pervasive neonatal pathogen accounting for a combined half a million deaths and stillbirths annually. The most common source of fetal or neonatal GBS exposure is the maternal microbiota. GBS asymptomatically colonizes the gastrointestinal and vaginal mucosa of 1 in 5 individuals globally, although its precise role in these niches is not well understood. To prevent vertical transmission, broad-spectrum antibiotics are administered to GBS-positive mothers during labor in many countries. Although antibiotics have significantly reduced GBS early-onset neonatal disease, there are several unintended consequences, including an altered neonatal microbiota and increased risk for other microbial infections. Additionally, the incidence of late-onset GBS neonatal disease remains unaffected and has sparked an emerging hypothesis that GBS-microbe interactions in developing neonatal gut microbiota may be directly involved in this disease process. This review summarizes our current understanding of GBS interactions with other resident microbes at the mucosal surface from multiple angles, including clinical association studies, agriculture and aquaculture observations, and experimental animal model systems. We also include a comprehensive review of in vitro findings of GBS interactions with other bacterial and fungal microbes, both commensal and pathogenic, along with newly established animal models of GBS vaginal colonization and in utero or neonatal infection. Finally, we provide a perspective on emerging areas of research and current strategies to design microbe-targeting prebiotic or probiotic therapeutic intervention strategies to prevent GBS disease in vulnerable populations.

Mixed Bacterial Growth in Prenatal Urine Cultures; An Investigation into Prevalence, Contributory Factors and the Impact of education-based Interventions.

PURPOSE: Undiagnosed urinary tract infections (UTIs) in pregnancy are associated with adverse perinatal outcome. Urine microbiology cultures reported as 'mixed bacterial growth' (MBG) frequently present a diagnostic dilemma for healthcare providers. We investigated external factors contributing to elevated rates of (MBG) within a large tertiary maternity centre in London, UK, and assessed the efficacy of health service interventions to mitigate these. DESCRIPTION: This prospective, observational study of asymptomatic pregnant women attending their first prenatal clinic appointment aimed to establish (i) the prevalence of MBG in routine prenatal urine microbiology cultures, (ii) the association between urine cultures and the duration to laboratory processing and (iii) ways in which MBG may be reduced in pregnancy. Specifically we assessed the impact of patient-clinician interaction and that of an education package on optimal urine sampling technique. ASSESSMENT: Among 212 women observed over 6 weeks, the negative, positive and MBG urine culture rates were 66%, 10% and 2% respectively. Shorter duration from urine sample collection to laboratory arrival correlated with higher rates of negative cultures. Urine samples arriving in the laboratory within 3 hours of collection were most likely to be reported as culture negative (74%), and were least likely to be reported as MBG (21%) or culture positive (6%), compared to samples arriving > 6 hours (71%, 14% and 14% respectively; P < 0.001). A midwifery education package effectively reduced rates of MBG (37% pre-intervention vs 19% post-intervention, RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.89). Women who did not receive verbal instructions prior to providing their sample had 5-fold higher rates of MBG (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: As many as 24% of prenatal urine screening cultures are reported as MBG. Patient-midwife interaction before urine sample collection and rapid transfer of urine samples to the laboratory within 3 hours reduces the rate of MBG in prenatal urine cultures. Reinforcing this message through education may improve accuracy of test results.

Evaluation of two rapid commercial assays for detection of Streptococcus agalactiae from vaginal samples.

INTRODUCTION: Streptococcus agalactiae, also known as group B streptococci (GBS), is associated with invasive infections in neonates. Identification of GBS vaginal colonization in pregnant women before delivery is essential for treatment with antibiotics to prevent intrapartum vertical transmission to the newborn. This study was designed to evaluate applicability of two rapid real-time PCRs in comparison to standard culture identification. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We compared the Xpert GBS assay, hereafter referred to as Xpert, and GenomEra GBS PCR, hereafter referred to as GenomEra. The standard culture identification consisted of two different agar plates as well as an enrichment broth. RESULTS: We analyzed vaginal samples of 260 pregnant women; 42 samples were tested GBS-positive by using standard culture as a gold standard, 30 by Xpert, and 37 by GenomEra. Xpert and GenomEra assays performed with sensitivities of 71.4% and 88.1% as well as specificities of 98.6% and 99.1%, respectively. Twelve vaginal samples were false-negative by Xpert and five samples by GenomEra. Interestingly, three negative Xpert results of standard culture-positive samples exhibited high Ct-values indicating the presence of GBS. If higher Ct-values are taken into consideration, the sensitivity of Xpert increases up to 78.6%. Moreover, only three Xpert PCRs had to be repeated, whereas two Genomera were invalid even after repetition and further 15 GenomEra PCRs were repeated because of borderline results or inhibition of the PCR test. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, GenomEra assay performed with a higher sensitivity than the Xpert PCR. On the other hand, the Xpert assay needs less hands-on-time for a sample preparation and requires approximately four-fold less repetitions as compared to the GenomEra assay. This robust performance of the Xpert assay make it applicable as a rapid intrapartum point-of-care test, although a higher sensitivity would be desirable. Therefore, culture in the 35-37 week of gestation remains the gold standard to detect vaginal colonization.

Performance of the HiberGene Group B Streptococcus kit, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification-based assay for GBS screening during pregnancy.

Timely and accurate detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) carriage in pregnant women allows for targeted peripartum prophylaxis. Replacing culture-based screening by molecular biology assays enables faster results obtention, better targeted antibiotic prophylaxis, and reduces the laboratory workload. Here, we present a comparative analysis between a Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification assay (HiberGene GBS kit) and culture (gold-standard). The HiberGene GBS kit showed a sensitivity of 97.9% and a specificity of 96.8% compared with culture. The limit of detection was estimated at 103 cfu/ml and results were obtained within 30 min. HiberGene GBS assay can be used for peripartum GBS screening and targeted antibiotic prophylaxis provided sample processing can be swiftly performed around the clock.

Alterations of the vaginal microbiome in healthy pregnant women positive for group B Streptococcus colonization during the third trimester.

BACKGROUND: Streptococcus agalactiae or group B Streptococcus (GBS) asymptomatically colonizes the genitourinary tracts of up to 30% of pregnant women. Globally, GBS is an important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. GBS has recently been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes. The potential interactions between GBS and the vaginal microbiome composition remain poorly understood. In addition, little is known about the vaginal microbiota of pregnant Egyptian women. RESULTS: Using V3-V4 16S rRNA next-generation sequencing, we examined the vaginal microbiome in GBS culture-positive pregnant women (22) and GBS culture-negative pregnant women (22) during the third trimester in Ismailia, Egypt. According to the alpha-diversity indices, the vaginal microbiome of pregnant GBS culture-positive women was significantly more diverse and less homogenous. The composition of the vaginal microbiome differed significantly based on beta-diversity between GBS culture-positive and culture-negative women. The phylum Firmicutes and the family Lactobacillaceae were significantly more abundant in GBS-negative colonizers. In contrast, the phyla Actinobacteria, Tenericutes, and Proteobacteria and the families Bifidobacteriaceae, Mycoplasmataceae, Streptococcaceae, Corynebacteriaceae, Staphylococcaceae, and Peptostreptococcaceae were significantly more abundant in GBS culture-positive colonizers. On the genus and species levels, Lactobacillus was the only genus detected with significantly higher relative abundance in GBS culture-negative status (88%), and L. iners was the significantly most abundant species. Conversely, GBS-positive carriers exhibited a significant decrease in Lactobacillus abundance (56%). In GBS-positive colonizers, the relative abundance of the genera Ureaplasma, Gardnerella, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, and Peptostreptococcus and the species Peptostreptococcus anaerobius was significantly higher. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways related to the metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, phosphatidylinositol signaling system, peroxisome, host immune system pathways, and host endocrine system were exclusively enriched among GBS culture-positive microbial communities. However, lipid metabolism KEGG pathways, nucleotide metabolism, xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism, genetic information processing pathways associated with translation, replication, and repair, and human diseases (Staphylococcus aureus infection) were exclusively enriched in GBS culture-negative communities. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding how perturbations of the vaginal microbiome contribute to pregnancy complications may result in the development of alternative, targeted prevention strategies to prevent maternal GBS colonization. We hypothesized associations between inferred microbial function and GBS status that would need to be confirmed in larger cohorts.

Multicenter Evaluation of the Cepheid Xpert GBS LB XC Test.

Early-onset neonatal sepsis due to Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus [GBS]) infection is one of the leading causes of newborn mortality and morbidity. The latest guidelines published in 2019 recommended universal screening of GBS colonization among all pregnant women and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for positive GBS. The updated procedures allow rapid molecular-based GBS screening using nutrient broth-enriched rectovaginal samples. Commercially available molecular assays for GBS diagnosis target mainly the cfb gene, which encodes a hemolysin protein responsible for producing the Christie-Atkins-Munch-Petersen (CAMP) factor. cfb is considered a conserved gene in essentially all GBS isolates. However, false-negative GBS results on Cepheid Xpert GBS and GBS LB tests due to deletions in or near the region that encodes cfb were reported recently. Therefore, the new Xpert GBS LB XC test was developed. This study is a multicenter evaluation of the new test for GBS identification from nutrient broth-enriched rectal/vaginal samples from antepartum women. A total of 621 samples were prospectively enrolled. The samples were tested with the Xpert GBS LB XC test, the composite comparator method, which included the Hologic Panther Fusion GBS test combined with bacterial culture, followed by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) identification, and bacterial culture alone, followed by MALDI-TOF MS identification. The respective sensitivity and specificity of the Xpert GBS LB XC test were 99.3% and 98.7% compared to the composite comparator method and 99.1% and 91.8% compared to bacterial culture alone with MALDI-TOF MS identification. Overall, the Xpert GBS LB XC test performed comparatively to the composite comparator method and is equivalent to traditional bacterial culture followed by MALDI-TOF MS.

Bacteriological Study of Urinary Tract Infections among Pregnant Women in Al Samawa City of Iraq.

Pregnancy causes some changes in pregnant women due to mechanical and hormonal changes that lead to ureteral dilatation and urinary stasis which in turn contribute to an increased risk of developing urinary tract infection (UTI). This study aimed to determine the frequency of urinary tract infections among pregnant women in Samawa city, Iraq, and examine the isolated organisms. In total, 210 and 55 urine samples were collected from pregnant and non-pregnant women with clinical signs and symptoms of UTI who were hospitalized in the Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital in Samawa, Iraq, respectively. The data collected from each woman included their age, gestational period, parity, level of education, and residence. The frequency of urinary tract infections among the studied woman was 86%. Escherichia coli (38.6%), staphylococcus aureus (20.4%), and Proteus mirabilis (12.7%) were the most frequently isolated bacteria in the current study. According to the recorded data in this study, 86% of the infections in pregnant women occurred in the age group of 25-34 years (52.4%) and the 3rd trimester of pregnancy (49.1%). On the other hand, the results revealed that the infection rate in women with one to three pregnancies was 50.2% more than non-pregnant women. The findings of the current study showed that the highest rate of infection was observed in women who were in the age range of 25-34 years (52.4%). This can be explained by the fact that women often experience the highest reproductive activity during this period. In fact, in this period of life, women are most prone to sexual activity which predisposes them to the introduction of microorganisms to the urinary tract which causes infection. The recorded data showed that UTI became more prevalent with the progress of pregnancy, accounting for 49.1% of infections occurring in the third trimester of pregnancy. Parity and frequent pregnancies are other factors that account for 50.2% of UTI. The prevalence of UTI in women with 1 to 3 children was 58.5%. Moreover, the rate of UTI was 61.3% among pregnant women who attended the antenatal care unit, which was the highest risk of UTI among the pregnant participants. In the non-pregnant women, the prevalence of UTI was 50.2 at the age range of 6-12 years. Based on the obtained results, pregnant women were more vulnerable to renal infection. On the other hand, the concurrence of UTI was positively influenced by sexual activity and pregnancy.

Gardnerella vaginalis clades in pregnancy: New insights into the interactions with the vaginal microbiome.

Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) is an anaerobic bacterial species involved in the pathogenesis of bacterial vaginosis (BV), a condition of vaginal dysbiosis associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. GV strains are categorized into four clades, characterized by a different ability to produce virulence factors, such as sialidase. We investigated the distribution of GV clades and sialidase genes in the vaginal ecosystem of a cohort of pregnant women, assessing the correlations between GV clades and the whole vaginal microbiome. A total of 61 Caucasian pregnant women were enrolled. Their vaginal swabs, collected both at the first and third trimester of pregnancy, were used for (i) evaluation of the vaginal status by Nugent score, (ii) vaginal microbiome profiling by 16S rRNA sequencing, (iii) detection and quantification of GV clades and sialidase A gene by qPCR assays. DNA of at least one GV clade was detected in most vaginal swabs, with clade 4 being the most common one. GV clade 2, together with the presence of multiple clades (>2 simultaneously), were significantly associated with a BV condition. Significantly higher GV loads and sialidase gene levels were found in BV cases, compared to the healthy status. Clade 2 was related to the major shifts in the vaginal microbial composition, with a decrease in Lactobacillus and an increase in several BV-related taxa. As the number of GV clades detected simultaneously increased, a group of BV-associated bacteria tended to increase as well, while Bifidobacterium tended to decrease. A negative correlation between sialidase gene levels and Lactobacillus, and a positive correlation with Gardnerella, Atopobium, Prevotella, Megasphaera, and Sneathia were observed. Our results added knowledge about the interactions of GV clades with the inhabitants of the vaginal microbiome, possibly helping to predict the severity of BV and opening new perspectives for the prevention of pregnancy-related complications.

Advances towards licensure of a maternal vaccine for the prevention of invasive group B streptococcus disease in infants: a discussion of different approaches.

Group B streptococcus (Streptococcus agalactiae, GBS) is an important cause of life-threatening disease in newborns. Pregnant women colonized with GBS can transmit the bacteria to the developing fetus, as well as to their neonates during or after delivery where infection can lead to sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia, or/and death. While intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) is the standard of care for prevention of invasive GBS disease in some countries, even in such settings a substantial residual burden of disease remains. A GBS vaccine administered during pregnancy could potentially address this important unmet medical need and provide an adjunct or alternative to IAP for the prevention of invasive GBS disease in neonates. A hurdle for vaccine development has been relatively low disease rates making efficacy studies difficult. Given the well-accepted inverse relationship between anti-GBS capsular polysaccharide antibody titers at birth and risk of disease, licensure using serological criteria as a surrogate biomarker represents a promising approach to accelerate the availability of a GBS vaccine.