• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.53 no.12
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• pp.989-993
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• 2010

Although numerous clinical observational studies have been conducted over a period of over 30 years, the clinical significance of $Ureaplasma$ infection is still under debate. The $Ureaplasma$ speices. is a commensal in the female genital tract and considered to have of low virulence; however, $Ureaplasma$ colonization has been associated with infertility, stillbirth, preterm delivery, histologic chorioamnionitis, and neonatal morbidities, including congenital pneumonia, meningitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and perinatal death. Recently, $Ureaplasma$ was subdivided into 2 separate species and 14 serovars. $Ureaplasma$ $parvum$ is known as biovar 1 and contains serovars 1, 3, 6, and 14, and $Ureaplasma$ $urealyticum$ (biovar 2) contains the remaining serovars (2, 4, 5, and 7-13). The existence of differences in pathogenicities of these 14 serovars and 2 biovars is controversial. Although macrolides are the only antimicrobial agents currently available for use in neonatal ureaplasmal infections, in the current clinical field, it is difficult to make decisions regarding which antibiotics should be used. Future investigations involving large, multicenter, randomized, controlled studies are needed before proper recommendations can be made for clinical practice.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 1983

A group of 180 men who visited Urology Department of Severance hospital, including 115 patients with nongonococcal urethritis (N.G.U.), 27 patients with prostatitis, 13 patients with gonococcal urethritis (G.U.) and 25 healthy medical student controls were investigated for the isolation of Ureaplasma urealyticum (T-strain mycoplasma) from the specimen of ureaplasma discharge, urine and semen. Taylor-Robinson media of T-broth and T-agar was used for the isolation of Ureaplasma urealyticum. To the best of our knowledge, the study on the culture of Ureaplasma urealy ticum was reported for the first time in Korea. The followis g results were obtained: 1. The isolation rate of Ureaplasma urealyticum in nongonococcal urethritis (53.0%) revealed highest of those in the other three groups of prostatitis, gonococcal urethritis and control (40.7%,38.4% and 16.0% respectively). 2. As for the specimens, urethral discharge revelaed higher isolation rate of Ureaplasma urealyticum (54.6%) than first voided urine (50.0%). 3. The more consorts patients had, the higher positive culture rate of Ureaplasma urealyticum were revealed. The isolation rate in case of more than one causal in nongonococcal urethritis (27.8%) revealed much higher than in case of marital only (5.2%), one regular (6.1%) and one causal 03.9%). 4. 2.6% of isolation rate of Ureaplasma urealyticum revealed in patients with nongonococcal urethritis who visited the clinic in later than 4 weeks after the symptoms developed. However, the isolation rate in patients who visited within 4 weeks revealed 50.3%. The lower isolation rate of Ureaplasma in the late treatment seekers might be probably due to the suppression effect against Ureaplama urealyticum from the possible previous self antibiotic treatment. 5. Attachment of Ureaplasma urealyticum mostly to the neck and head portion of the spermatozoa seemed to playa role to affect the motility of sperms.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.11
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• pp.477-481
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• 2013

Purpose: Ureaplasma colonization is related with perinatal complications in preterm infants. Little is known about the difference in virulence among various Ureaplasma urealyticum serovars. The aim of this study was to determine U. urealyticum serovars of preterm infants in order to assess whether any of the serovars were associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Methods: Three hundred forty-four preterm infants with a gestational age less than 34 weeks admitted to Gangnam Severance Hospital neonatal intensive care unit from July 2011 to December 2012 were included in this study. Tracheal and gastric aspirations were conducted on infants to confirm Ureaplasma colonization. Ureaplasma colonization was confirmed in 9% of infants, of these, serovars were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: A total of 31 infants (gestational age, $29.3{\pm}3.1$ weeks; birth weight, $1,170{\pm}790g$) were U. urealyticum positive. The Ureaplasma positive group treated for more days with oxygen and ventilation than the negative group (P<0.05). Histologic chorioamnionitis and moderate to severe BPD were more frequent in the Ureaplasma positive group than in the negative group (P<0.05). U. urealyticum isolates were either found to be a mixture of multiple serovars (32%), serovar 9 alone or combined with other serovars (39%), serovar 11 (26%), 2 (13%), 8 (10%), 10 (13%), and 13 (25%). No individual serovars were significantly associated with moderate to severe BPD and chorioamnionitis. Conclusion: This is the first study to describe the distribution of U. urealyticum serovars from Korean preterm infants. Ureaplasma -colonized infants showed higher incidence of BPD and chorioamnionitis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.11
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• pp.474-476
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• 2013

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2016

Ureaplasma species can normally colonize in the bodies of healthy individuals. Their colonization is associated with various diseases including non-gonococcal urethritis, chorioamnionitis, neonatal meningitis, and prematurity. In 2012, the sum of the resistant and intermediate resistant rates of Ureaplasma spp. to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin was 66.08% and 92.69%, respectively. DNA point mutations in the genes encoding DNA gyrase (topoisomerase II) and topoisomerase IV are commonly responsible for fluoroquinolone resistance. Each enzyme is composed of two subunits encoded by gyrA and gyrB genes for DNA gyrase and parC and parE genes for topoisomerase IV. In the current study, these genes were sequenced in order to determine the role of amino acid substitutions in Ureaplasma spp. clinical isolates. From December 2012 to May 2013, we examined mutation patterns of the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) in Ureaplasma spp. DNA sequences in the QRDR region of Ureaplasma clinical isolates were compared with those of reference strains including U. urealyticum serovar 8 (ATCC 27618) and U. parvum serovar 3 (ATCC 27815). Mutations were detected in all ofloxacin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates, however no mutations were detected in drug-susceptible isolates. Most of the mutations related to fluoroquinolone resistance occurred in the parC gene, causing amino acid substitutions. Newly found amino acid substitutions in this study were Asn481Ser in GyrB; Phe149Leu, Asp150Met, Asp151Ile, and Ser152Val in ParC; and Pro446Ser and Arg448Lys in ParE. Continuous monitoring and accumulation of mutation data in fluoroquinolone-resistant Ureaplasma clinical isolates are essential to determining the tendency and to understanding the mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.425-429
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• 2018

Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection can spread rapidly across populations and is associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasms, human papillomavirus infections, and newborn mortality. This study aimed to provide information that could be used to protect public health and decrease the incidence and transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly among childbearing women. We examined the epidemiology of UU infection in Cheonan, South Korea. During 2006-2017, 4,050 specimens were submitted for STI screening using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Data were analyzed for UU infection cases using the R statistical program and categorical data were analyzed using the chi-square test, and p-values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Positive PCR results were shown in 17.8% of the total specimens, in 9.0% of men, and in 18.7% of women. Individuals in their teenaged years and individuals aged 20-29 years accounted for the largest proportions of UU-positive specimens. Although Mycoplasma hominis was the most prevalent bacterium in 2006, it was superseded by UU in 2017. Of the 870 UU-positive specimens, 50.1%, 33.1%, 13.4%, and 2.8% had single, double, triple, and quadruple infection, respectively. UU was most common among Korean individuals aged 20-29 years, indicating a high risk of maternal-to-infant transmission that should be addressed through rapid diagnosis, treatment, and management.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.265-270
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• 2009

An oligonucleotide array was developed to detect and genotype mollicutes based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence. The results of the assay were compared with those of a PCR-RFLP assay. The proposed oligonucleotide array containing 5 genus- and 23 species-specific probes was able to detect Mycoplasma species, including M. penetrans and M. spermatophilum, that were not detected by the PCR-RFLP assay. Therefore, the results demonstrated that the proposed oligonucleotide array was effective for the detection and discrimination of 23 species, including an acholeplasma, 21 mycoplasmas, and a ureaplasma, and showed promise as a countermeasure to ensure that biological products are safe and of good quality.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.35 no.5_6
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• pp.361-361
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• 2000

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.280-287
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to determine the association of positive Ureaplasma urealyticum in gastric fluid with clinical features and outcomes in preterm infants. Methods: Gastric fluid from the preterm infants was first aspirated within 30 minutes and cultured within 24 hours after birth to check for U. urealyticum. Infants were divided into two groups on the basis of the presence/absence of U. urealyticum. Results: U. urealyticum in gastric fluid was identified in 17 of 91 (19%) preterm infants. Compared with the negative U. urealyticum group, there were significantly higher percentage of infants with gestational age ${\leq}$30 weeks (P=0.020), higher Apgar score at 1 minute and 5 minutes (P=0.017 and P=0.048, respectively), and higher rate of vaginal delivery (P=0.000) in the positive U. urealyticum group. Although the incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia between the two groups was not different, the frequency of bronchopulmonary dysplasia without previous respiratory distress syndrome was significantly higher in the positive group (11%) than that in the negative group (1%) (P=0.030). Conclusion: The detection of U. urealyticum in gastric fluid is more frequent in infants with gestational age ${\leq}$30 weeks. It can be helpful to predict the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia without previous respiratory distress syndrome in preterm infants.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2009

Purpose: Present evidences suggest that Ureaplasma urealyticum is a cause of pneumonia, septicemia, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in newborn infants, particularly those born prematurely. The purpose of this work was to examine the relationship between Ureaplasma urealyticum in the tracheal aspirates and adverse outcomes, such as BPD and early onset neonatal sepsis in premature infants. Methods: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed on tracheal aspirates collected within 24 hour after birth in 176 premature infants less than 35 weeks of gestation and admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Bundang CHA Hospital. Results: U. urealyticum was detected in 37 of 176 preterm infants (21.0%). Gestational age ($29^{+5}{\pm}2^{+5}$ wk vs. $30^{+6}{\pm}2^+{-5}$ wk, P=0.0l3) and birth weight (1.39${\pm}$0.44 kg vs. 1.59${\pm}$0.55 kg, P=0.037) were lower in the U urealyticum-positive group compared to the control group. The incidence of early onset neonatal sepsis (16.2% vs. 6.5%, P=0.045) and BPD (45.9% vs. 29.5%, P=0.047) was higher in the U urealyticum-positive group compared to the control group, but the severity of BPD was not different between two groups. However, multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of U. urealyticum was not independently related to the development of early onset neonatal sepsis and BPD. Conclusion: The results suggest that colonization of the lower respiratory tract by U. urealyticum might not be related to the development of neonatal sepsis and BPD directly in preterm infants.