Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

APMIS 2019 Apr 14. Epub 2019 Apr 14.

Department of Clinical Microbiology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.

The discovery of antibiotic drugs is considered one of the previous century's most important medical discoveries (1). Appropriate use of antibiotics saves millions of lives each year and prevents infectious complications for numerous people. Still, infections kill unacceptable many people around the world, even in developed countries with easy access to most antibiotic drugs. Read More

Transl Psychiatry 2019 Apr 12;9(1):135. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.

Women exposed to a variety of viral and bacterial infections during pregnancy have an increased risk of giving birth to a child with autism, schizophrenia or other neurodevelopmental disorders. Preclinical maternal immune activation (MIA) models are powerful translational tools to investigate mechanisms underlying epidemiological links between infection during pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopmental disorders. Our previous studies documenting the emergence of aberrant behavior in rhesus monkey offspring born to MIA-treated dams extends the rodent MIA model into a species more closely related to humans. Read More

Biomed Rep 2019 Apr 15;10(4):231-237. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

Department of Microbiology, 'Aretaieion' General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11528, Greece.

Assisted reproductive techniques including fertilization (IVF) are being used increasingly worldwide and screening for genital tract infections (GTIs) is recommended prior to treatment as their presence may affect the success rate of IVF. The current study aimed to assess the possible associations between GTI-associated factors and reproductive outcome in a group of reproductive age fertile females and infertile females receiving IVF. A total of 111 infertile women enrolled in an IVF programme (Group A) and 104 fertile women (mothers of at least one child; Group B) underwent microbiological screening of vaginal and cervical samples. Read More

Arch Gynecol Obstet 2019 Apr 5. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Scientific and Medical Department, Medinova AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Introduction: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal disorder in reproductive-age women. The condition is characterised by the replacement of a healthy, lactobacilli-dominated vaginal microbiota by anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria. BV increases the risk of acquisition of STIs and is associated with pregnancy complications. Read More

Biosci Trends 2019 Mar 31. Epub 2019 Mar 31.

Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital & Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University.

Acute upper respiratory tract infections (AURTIs) are common and self-limited in people with normal immunity but sometimes lead to poor clinical outcomes under specific conditions such as pregnancy if not treated appropriately. Chinese herbal medicines (CHM), which are widely used to treat AURTIs, have proven to be effective in preclinical and clinical studies. This review focuses on the bioactivities of typical CHM and the adverse reactions they cause, and especially issues with reproductive safety when treating AURTIs. Read More

BMJ Open 2019 Mar 20;9(3):e023213. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Scottish Cot Death Trust, 5th Floor, West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.

Objective: Smoking during pregnancy is associated with adverse health impacts on mother and child. We used a large linked Scottish dataset to produce contemporary estimates of the impact on child health, particularly hospitalisation.

Design: Retrospective cohort study linking birth, death, maternity, infant health, child health surveillance and admission records. Read More

Zhonghua Fu Chan Ke Za Zhi 2019 Mar;54(3):154-159

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bao'an Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen 518106, China.

To investigate the screening strategy of group B streptococcus (GBS) in the reproductive tract of women in the third trimester and analyze its impact on pregnancy outcome. A total of 85 461 pregnant women in 35-37 weeks of gestation from Bao'an Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Jinan University from January 2011 to June 2018 were enrolled. They were divided into 3 periods according to different GBS screening strategies, the unscreened period included 31 384 cases (36. Read More

BMC Vet Res 2019 Mar 18;15(1):95. Epub 2019 Mar 18.

Department of Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Canada.

Background: No comprehensive studies have been carried out on the infectious causes of abortion in Kenyan dairy cattle herds. A survey was carried out to determine the seroprevalence of antibodies against Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV), Brucella abortus (BA) and Neospora caninum (NC) among dairy cattle herds in Nakuru County, a major dairying area in Kenya. A prospective sero-epidemiological study was also undertaken to investigate the effects of BVDV, BA and NC on the occurrence of bovine abortion in dairy cattle herds, where monthly rectal palpations for pregnancy were performed, and monthly serum samples were tested for antibodies to the 3 pathogens. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Mar;98(11):e14462

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, West China Second Hospital.

Rationale: Severe rachiterata is rarely described as a complication of pregnancy, and it was assumed as a contraindication to pregnancy. We first report a case of severe spinal deformity associated both with scoliosis and kyphosis in pregnancy.

Patient Concerns: A 38-year-old pregnant woman [28+1 weeks of twin pregnancy, gravida 3, para 2 (G3P2)] was admitted to the emergency department with complaints of persistent productive cough, with increased expectoration, dyspnea, dizziness, fatigue, and irregular abdominal pain. Read More

BMJ Open 2019 Mar 13;9(3):e021347. Epub 2019 Mar 13.

Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Alberta Research Centre for Health Evidence (ARCHE), Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Objective: To systematically review screening and treatment effectiveness, and patient preferences, to inform recommendations by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care on screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy.

Design: We searched multiple databases (inception to September 2017) and grey literature sources for studies on screening effectiveness and patient preferences. For treatment with antibiotics, we searched three databases for systematic reviews and obtained search results of the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register to update a Cochrane review. Read More

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019 Mar 15;68(10):247-250. Epub 2019 Mar 15.

Mother-to-child transmission of syphilis remains a major global public health issue, and elimination of congenital syphilis is one of the millennium development goals of the World Health Organization (1). In 2012, an estimated 930,000 maternal syphilis infections caused 350,000 adverse pregnancy outcomes, including 143,000 early fetal deaths and stillbirths, 62,000 neonatal deaths, 44,000 preterm or low-weight births, and 102,000 infected infants worldwide (2). In China, the number of congenital syphilis cases reported annually increased from 468 in 2000 to 10,032 in 2013; the corresponding national congenital syphilis incidence rate increased nearly 26-fold, from 2. Read More

Reprod Health 2019 Mar 4;16(1):27. Epub 2019 Mar 4.

School of Biomedical and Laboratory Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia.

Background: Sexually transmitted infections constitute a major public health problem worldwide. Syphilis and HIV infections cause various adverse pregnancy outcomes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of HIV and syphilis infections among pregnant women at Gondar Family Guidance Association clinic, northwest Ethiopia. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 02 28;13(2):e0007172. Epub 2019 Feb 28.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America.

Background: Globally, vaccine-preventable diseases remain a significant cause of early childhood mortality despite concerted efforts to improve vaccine coverage. One reason for impaired protection may be the influence of prenatal exposure to parasitic antigens on the developing immune system. Prior research had shown a decrease in infant vaccine response after in utero parasite exposure among a maternal cohort without aggressive preventive treatment. Read More

J Res Med Sci 2019 31;24. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Maternal-fetal tolerance plays a fundamental role in the maintenance of pregnancy. However, this immunological tolerance can be influenced by intrauterine infections. Human amniotic epithelial cells (hAECs) have immunomodulatory effects and respond to invading pathogens through expressing various toll-like receptors (TLRs). Read More

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2019 Feb 21;52:e20180226. Epub 2019 Feb 21.

Programa de Pós-graduação em Odontologia Preventiva e Social, Faculdade de Odontologia de Araçatuba, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, SP, Brasil.

Introduction: This paper analyzed sociodemographic and epidemiological data of individuals with syphilis as well as the compulsory reporting of the disease, for being a reemerging disease in Brazil.

Methods: General information and sociodemographic, epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data were verified in compulsory reporting.

Results: From 2010 to 2016, 157 reporting forms were explored. Read More

Yonsei Med J 2019 Mar;60(3):312-314

Department of Pediatrics, Saiseikai Shimonoseki General Hospital, Shimonoseki, Japan.

We report the first case demonstrating an association between Kawasaki disease (KD) and erythema nodosum (EN). A 3-year-old girl presented with EN as an initial manifestation of KD. At the initial visit, she showed high fever of 40°C, injection of the oropharynx, cervical lymphadenopathy, and red-purple cutaneous nodules, particularly on the lower limbs. Read More

PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019 02 21;13(2):e0007122. Epub 2019 Feb 21.

Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Biomedicina, Universidade do Oeste Paulista, Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil.

Syphilis is a Sexually Transmitted Infection (IST) with significant importance to public health, due to its impact during pregnancy (Gestational Syphilis-GS); especially because syphilis can affect fetus and neonates' development (mother-to-child transmission-MTCT of syphilis), by increasing susceptibility to abortion, premature birth, skeletal malformations, meningitis and pneumonia. Measures to control and eliminate MTCT of syphilis have failed on the last few years in Brazil and this research aimed to identify the seasonality of notified cases of syphilis in a region of São Paulo state. The studied region, Pontal do Paranapanema, comprises 32 cities located in the West of São Paulo state, in Brazil. Read More

BMJ 2019 Feb 20;364:l463. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Division of Health Sciences, University of Warwick Medical School, Gibbet Hill Campus, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK

BMC Infect Dis 2019 Feb 20;19(1):179. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, Eastern Cape Province, 5700, South Africa.

Background: Streptococcus agalactiae or Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality resulting in septicaemia, bacteraemia and meningitis. Long term problems in children range from loss of hearing to mental retardation. While Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis (IAP) has reduced the incidence of S. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2019 Feb 20;19(1):178. Epub 2019 Feb 20.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections Reference Unit, National Infection Service, Public Health England, London, UK.

Background: In January 2011, there was an outbreak of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin-positive methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (PVL-MSSA) infection in a neonatal unit (NNU). We describe the investigation and control of an outbreak of PVL-MSSA infection in neonates.

Setting: Neonatal unit in West London. Read More

Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2019 Feb 14;61:e6. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Instituto de Saúde e Biotecnologia, Coari, Amazonas, Brazil.

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection is often silent and can lead to long-term reproductive complications in women. In this study, we determined the prevalence of CT infection and possible associations between the presence of the infection and clinical-epidemiological variables in pregnant women attended at the Basic Health Units of the Coari city, Amazonas, Brazil. From July 2016 to March 2017, 164 pregnant women undergoing prenatal care were recruited. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2019 02 15;2:CD012071. Epub 2019 Feb 15.

C/o Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group, Department of Women's and Children's Health, The University of Liverpool, First Floor, Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust, Crown Street, Liverpool, UK, L8 7SS.

Background: Congenital syphilis continues to be a substantial public health problem in many parts of the world. Since the first use of penicillin for the treatment of syphilis in 1943, which was a notable early success, it has remained the preferred and standard treatment including for congenital syphilis. However, the treatment of congenital syphilis is largely based on clinical experience and there is extremely limited evidence on the optimal dose or duration of administration of penicillin or the use of other antibiotics. Read More

J Dairy Sci 2019 Apr 14;102(4):3754-3765. Epub 2019 Feb 14.

Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 334, Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, West Indies. Electronic address:

Diseases of postpartum dairy cows impair reproductive processes, resulting in prolonged anestrus, reduced conception, and increased pregnancy attrition, regardless of whether the initial disease precedes insemination (even by many weeks), occurs close to insemination, or follows fertilization. Bacteria and their products activate pattern recognition receptors that respond to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP). These receptors include toll-like receptors (TLR), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors and others, and their activation culminates in upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Read More

Am J Obstet Gynecol 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Division of Neonatology, Pediatric Intensive Care and Neuropediatrics, Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Background: Ureaplasma species (spp) are the bacteria most often isolated from the amniotic cavity of women with preterm labor or preterm premature rupture of membranes; thus, the link between intrauterine Ureaplasma spp infection and adverse pregnancy outcome clearly is established. However, because vaginal Ureaplasma spp colonization is very common in pregnant women, the reason that these microorganisms cause ascending infections in some cases but remain asymptomatic in most pregnancies is not clear. Previous studies suggested an association between vaginal colonization with Ureaplasma parvum as opposed to U urealyticum and preterm delivery. Read More

JCI Insight 2019 Feb 7;4(3). Epub 2019 Feb 7.

Institute of Human Nutrition, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.

Fusobacterium nucleatum is an oral anaerobe prevalent in intrauterine infection associated with a wide spectrum of adverse pregnancy outcomes. We demonstrate here that F. nucleatum triggers placental inflammation through maternal, rather than paternal, TLR4-mediated signaling. Read More

J Infect Dis 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rheumatology Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.

Background: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common imbalance of the vaginal microbiota characterized by overgrowth of diverse Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Gram-negative anaerobes. Women with BV are at increased risk of secondary reproductive tract infections and adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, which specific bacteria cause clinical features of BV is unclear. Read More

J Mol Biol 2019 Jan 31. Epub 2019 Jan 31.

Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, WA, USA; Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle 98101, WA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195, WA, USA. Electronic address:

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a β-hemolytic gram-positive bacterium that colonizes the lower genital tract of approximately 18% of women globally as an asymptomatic member of the gastrointestinal and/or vaginal flora. If established in other host niches, however, GBS is highly pathogenic. During pregnancy, ascending GBS infection from the vagina to the intrauterine space is associated with preterm birth, stillbirth, and fetal injury. Read More

BMC Complement Altern Med 2019 Jan 30;19(1):34. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

SAMRC Microbial Water Quality Monitoring Centre, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice, Eastern Cape Province, 5700, South Africa.

Background: Streptococcus agalactiae also known as Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major cause of disease in pregnant women and new born babies where it causes early and late onset disease characterised by sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis. Ten to 37 % of pregnant women in the world are colonised with GBS while intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis has led to significant reduction in early onset disease. The increase in drug resistant microorganisms has become a major threat. Read More

BMC Health Serv Res 2019 Jan 28;19(1):74. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.

Background: HIV, syphilis, malaria and anaemia are leading preventable causes of adverse pregnancy outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa yet testing coverage for conditions other than HIV is low. Availing point-of-care tests (POCTs) at rural antenatal health facilities (dispensaries) has the potential to improve access and timely treatment. Fundamental to the adoption of and adherence to new diagnostic approaches are healthcare workers' and pregnant women's (end-users) buy-in. Read More

Med Lett Drugs Ther 2018 Nov;60(1559):180-182

BMC Health Serv Res 2019 Jan 24;19(1):65. Epub 2019 Jan 24.

Fortaleza Health Secretariat, Rua do Rosário, 263, Centro, Fortaleza, Ceará, CEP: 60.055-090, Brazil.

Background: Although there are public policies for eradicating congenital syphilis, they do not seem to be a routine in most health services. The objective of this study was to evaluate the management of sexual partners of pregnant women with syphilis in primary health care in northeastern Brazil.

Methods: This is a qualitative assessment carried out from February to October 2014 in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, northeastern region of Brazil, through the observation of six primary health care centers and interviews with 21 professionals, six coordinators, nine women diagnosed with syphilis during antenatal care and four sexual partners. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2019 Jan 21;19(1):77. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Research Department, Infectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.

Background: The roll out of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Sub-Saharan Africa led to a decrease in mortality. Few studies have documented the causes of deaths among patients on long term antiretroviral therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our objective was to describe the causes of death among patients on long term ART in Sub-Saharan Africa. Read More

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2019 Feb 7:1-7. Epub 2019 Feb 7.

c Maternal Neonatal Department, Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit , Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria (AOU) , Cagliari , Italy.

Objective: Premature rupture of membranes (PROM) and preterm premature rupture of membranes (pPROM) are frequent conditions with a not fully understood multifactorial etiology. It has been suggested that infection may be the leading cause of pPROM. Metabolomics is nowadays recognized as a successful and versatile approach for the investigation of several pathological conditions, including pregnancy-related ones. Read More

BMC Womens Health 2019 Jan 10;19(1). Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Ghent, Belgium.

Background: The prevalence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) and vaginal microbiota types varies dramatically between different populations around the world. Understanding what underpins these differences is important, as high-diversity microbiotas associated with BV are implicated in adverse pregnancy outcomes and enhanced susceptibility to and transmission of sexually transmitted infections.

Main Text: We hypothesize that these variations in the vaginal microbiota can, in part, be explained by variations in the connectivity of sexual networks. Read More

Med Lett Drugs Ther 2018 Nov 19;60(1560):e192-e194. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Front Immunol 2018 18;9:2960. Epub 2018 Dec 18.

Department of Medicine, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology, and Hygiene, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.

Early exposure to immune stimuli, including maternal infection during the perinatal period, is increasingly recognized to affect immune predisposition during later life. This includes exposure to not only viral and bacterial infection but also parasitic helminths which remain widespread. Noted effects of helminth infection, including altered incidence of atopic inflammation and vaccine responsiveness, support further research into the impact these infections have for skewing immune responses. Read More

Mol Psychiatry 2019 Jan 4. Epub 2019 Jan 4.

Basic Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.

Immune activation during pregnancy via infection or autoimmune disease is a risk factor for neuropsychiatric illness. Mouse models of prenatal immune activation often involve maternal administration of agents that activate toll-like receptors (TLRs), a class of pattern recognition receptors that initiate innate immune responses. Such studies have focused primarily on activating the TLR3 or TLR4 subtypes, to mimic immune responses to viral or bacterial infections, respectively. Read More

Ethiop J Health Sci 2018 Sep;28(5):547-554

Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Background: Unresolved questions remain concerning the protective effect and duration of immunity acquired from mothers. This study investigated persistence of immunity against tetanus in the first two weeks of life among neonates in Nigeria.

Methods: In a longitudinal study, 244 primiparous mothers and their newborns were consecutively recruited at 16 selected Primary Healthcare Centres in Ibadan, Nigeria. Read More

BJOG 2019 Mar 1;126(4):512. Epub 2019 Jan 1.

Haywards Heath, UK.

Malays J Pathol 2018 Dec;40(3):267-286

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Departments of Pathology, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) is a facultatively anaerobic gram-variable bacillus and is the major organism involved in bacterial vaginosis. GV-associated bacterial vaginosis has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes include preterm parturition and subclinical chorioamnionitis. Inflammatory response induced by GV presents paediatric problems as well. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Dec 22;11(1). Epub 2018 Dec 22.

Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

A 26-year-old gravida 2, para 2-0-0-2 woman with a recent uncomplicated vaginal delivery 10 weeks prior presented to our hospital with 5 weeks of abdominal swelling and discomfort. Four weeks after delivery, the patient began having right upper quadrant pain and was found to have cholelithiasis. She underwent an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy 6 weeks prior to admission, but started to develop worsening abdominal swelling 1 week postoperatively. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2018 Dec 19;11(1). Epub 2018 Dec 19.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Philippine General Hospital, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines.

A 20-year-old primigravid experienced sudden stiffening of the neck, upper and lower extremities and trunk associated with joint pains. She was generally well before hospital admission with no history of attacks, except for her inflammatory bowel disease that was treated more than a year ago. During physical examination, the patient manifested neck flexion deviated to the right, deviation of the eyes downward and to the right, spooning of the upper extremities, exhibition of milkmaid's grip, extension of both lower extremities and jerky speech. Read More

BJGP Open 2018 Jul 2;2(2):bjgpopen18X101505. Epub 2018 May 2.

Professor, Department of General Practice, Antibiotic Center for Primary Care, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

Background: Most oral antibiotics are prescribed by GPs, and they are therefore the most important influencers with regard to improving antibiotic prescription patterns. Although GPs' prescription patterns in general are well-studied, little is known about antibiotic prescription patterns in pregnancy.

Aim: To study GPs' antibiotic prescriptions in respiratory tract infections (RTIs) during pregnancy, and assess differences, if any, between pregnant and non-pregnant patients. Read More

BMC Res Notes 2018 Dec 17;11(1):901. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Department of Medical Laboratory Science, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.

Objectives: The relevance of Escherichia coli associated bacteriuria infection in pregnant women is poorly understood, despite these strains sharing a similar virulence profile with other pathogenic E. coli causing severe obstetric and neonatal infections. We characterized and determined the antimicrobial susceptibility, resistance genes and virulence profiles of 82 E. Read More

Ann Pharmacother 2018 Dec 17:1060028018817935. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

1 University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, Columbia, SC, USA.

Objective: To review the treatment of common bacterial and viral infections occurring in the pregnant patient.

Data Sources: A literature search of MEDLINE was performed (inception to October 2018). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website was utilized for additional information. Read More

Tex Med 2018 Jul 1;114(7):42-43. Epub 2018 Jul 1.

Physicians fight Texas' stubborn rates of congenital infections. Syphillis, CMV, and HIV are the top three. Read More

J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2018 Dec.;19(12):973-978

Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital, People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310014, China.

In recent years, group B streptococcus (GBS) has become an important pathogen that causes infections in many neonatal organs, including the brain, lung, and eye (Ballard et al., 2016). A series of studies performed on GBS infections in western countries have revealed that GBS is one of the primary pathogens implicated in perinatal infection, and GBS infections are a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in the United States (Decheva et al. Read More

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2018 Nov-Dec;51(6):819-826

Departamento de Moléstias Infecciosas e Parasitárias, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.

Introduction: This study describes cases of syphilis in pregnancy (SiP) and congenital syphilis (CS) and identifies factors associated with mother-to-child transmission in patients in Itapeva from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2014.

Methods: Using SiP and CS notification forms and medical records, a cross-sectional study involving 149 pregnant women was conducted.

Results: Annual SiP detection rates ranged from 16. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2018 Dec 3;18(1):611. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

School of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.

Background: Brucellosis is a neglected debilitating zoonosis with a high prevalence in many developing countries. Bovine brucellosis is widespread in Cameroon but the epidemiological situation of human brucellosis is not known. A cross sectional study was carried to determine the seroprevalence and factors associated with bovine and human Brucellosis among abattoir personnel and pregnant women in Ngaoundéré, Cameroon. Read More

Adv Neonatal Care 2018 Dec;18(6):446-450

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, California.

Background: There is a global rise in maternal syphilis and infants born with congenital syphilis.

Clinical Findings: This case report presents a 32-week gestation premature male infant with initial clinical findings significant for respiratory failure as well as blueberry muffin spot rash and hepatosplenomegaly, which are consistent with congenital syphilis.

Primary Diagnosis: This case study is unique in that the diagnosis of congenital neurosyphilis was demonstrated despite negative maternal serology because of the prozone phenomenon. Read More