Ureaplasma urealyticum infection


Ureaplasma urealyticum infection is a type of urinary tract infection that can be sexually transmitted. It can also be passed from mother to infant during birth. It is caused by the bacterium Ureaplasma urealyticum,which can found in a majority of sexually active people, most of whom are asymptomatic. It can also be found in cultures in cases of pelvic inflammatory disease. It is not a commensal of the healthy uterine or amniotic microbiome. Infection with U. urealyticum can contribute neonatal infection and negative birth outcomes.

Presentation

Men

It had also been associated with a number of diseases in humans, including nonspecific urethritis, and infertility.

Women and infants

Infection in the newborn is accompanied by a strong immune response and is correlated with the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation.
Infection with U. urealyticum in pregnancy and birth can be complicated by chorioamnionitis, stillbirth, premature birth, and, in the perinatal period, pneumonia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia and meningitis. U. urealyticum has been found to be present in amniotic fluid in women who have had a premature birth with intact fetal membranes.
U. urealyticum has been noted as one of the infectious causes of sterile pyuria. It increases the morbidity as a cause of neonatal infections. It is associated with premature birth, preterm rupture of membranes, preterm labor, cesarean section, placental inflammation, congenital pneumonia, bacteremia, meningitis, fetal lung injury and death of infant. Ureaplasma urealyticum is associated with miscarriage.
In addition, this pathogen may latently infect the chorionic villi tissues of pregnant women, thereby impacting pregnancy outcome.

Diagnosis

Treatment

is the drug of choice, but azithromycin is also used as a five-day course rather than a single dose that would be used to treat Chlamydia infection; streptomycin is an alternative, but is less popular because it must be injected. Penicillins are ineffective — U. urealyticum does not have a cell wall, which is the drug's main target.