The Journal of Medical Microbiology, Vol 47, Issue 2 179-182, Copyright © 1998 by Society for General Microbiology
Two patients with premature labour associated with Mycoplasma hominis infection
M. Shimada, T. Kotani, H. Sameshima, Y. Nagamine, Y. Kodama, T. Ikenoue, T. Kenri, T. Sasaki and S. Ohtaki
Central Laboratory for Clinical Investigation, Miyazaki Medical College Hospital, Kiyotake, Japan.
Because several reports have suggested that bacterial vaginosis causes
premature labour and early rupture of the fetal membranes, the presence of
a bacterial flora that causes bacterial vaginosis is thought to be a risk
factor for premature labour. The present study investigated two patients
with premature delivery and intra-uterine Mycoplasma hominis infection. In
microbiological studies, Gram's staining of amniotic fluids revealed
numerous neutrophils and epithelial cells but no micro-organisms. Culture
of amniotic fluid before antibiotic therapy yielded only M. hominis under
anaerobic conditions; aerobic culture was negative. Vaginal discharge taken
on the day of delivery yielded no growth in case 1 and M. hominis and
Enterococcus faecalis in case 2. Maternal sera showed specific antibodies
to M. hominis by ELISA and immunoblotting. As no possible cause of
premature labour other than M. hominis infection was detected, it is
concluded that the intra-uterine M. hominis infection was associated with
premature labour in these patients.
