Bacteriuria Due to Ureaplasma urealyticum and Gardnerella vaginalis in Women with Preeclampsia

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases 1983-09, Vol.148 (3), p.605-605
• Main Authors: Savige, Judith A., Gilbert, Gwendolyn L., Fairley, Kenneth F., McDowall, D. Regina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bacteriuria; Bacteriuria - microbiology; Biological and medical sciences; Blood pressure; Data Forum; Female; Gardnerella vaginalis; Gardnerella vaginalis - isolation & purification; Genitalia; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Haemophilus - isolation & purification; Humans; Hypertension; Management. Prenatal diagnosis; Medical sciences; Pre-Eclampsia - microbiology; Preeclampsia; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious - microbiology; Pregnancy. Fetus. Placenta; Ureaplasma - isolation & purification; Ureaplasma urealyticum; Urinary bladder; Urine
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/148.3.605

Certain fastidious organisms such as U urealyticum and G vaginalis can be isolated from the aspirated bladder urine of pregnant women more frequently than conventional urinary pathogens such as Escherichia coli [1]. They can be isolated even more often from the aspirated bladder urine of patients with renal disease, but rarely from that of healthy men or nonpregnant women [2]. We investigated the incidence of bacteriuria due to these two organisms-particularly U urealyticum-in patients with preeclampsia. U urealyticum was isolated more frequently (rate, 20%), and usually in higher colony counts, from the urine of patients with preeclampsia than from that of healthy pregnant women (rate, 7%). G vaginalis was isolated with approximately the same frequency as U urealyticum from specimens of bladder urine; both organisms were isolated from the urine of 11 patients (eight healthy women and three with preeclampsia). High colony counts of G vaginalis were also found more frequently in patients with preeclampsia. In both groups other fastidious organisms were isolated in a total of only five patients, and in four of these five cases U urealyticum and/or G vaginalis were also isolated from the same specimen. Urine cultures were more frequently positive in patients with moderately severe hypertension (blood pressure, >160/100 mm Hg) than in those with mild hypertension (blood pressure, 140/90-160/100 mm Hg, occurring in nine (53%) of 17 patients and in nine (26.5%) of 34 patients, respectively. This difference was not statistically significant. There has been controversy as to whether or not conventional asymptomatic bacteriuria is accompanied by an increased incidence of preeclampsia. Both conditions, however, are known to be associated with an increased risk of prematurity and low birth weight. Premature delivery has also recently been linked with maternal genital colonization by, and development of serum antibodies to, U urealyticum [3]. The present study has shown an increased incidence of heavy urinary colonization by U urealyticum and perhaps by G vaginalis in women with preeclampsia compared with that in healthy pregnant women. Therefore, the association between these organisms and their role in certain complications of pregnancy, such as low birth weight, should be investigated further.