Urine Of Pregnant Women Research Articles

Phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Africa Never Die) leaf extract on bacterial organisms isolated from urine of pregnant women attending a tertiary health facility in Enugu, Nigeria

Phytochemical analysis and antibacterial activity of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Africa Never Die) leaf extract on bacterial organisms isolated from urine of pregnant women attending a tertiary health facility in Enugu, Nigeria

Analytical Investigation of the Profile of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Highly Purified Human Menopausal Gonadotrophin Preparations.

Highly purified human menopausal gonadotropin (HP-hMG [Menopur®, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Saint-Prex, Switzerland]) contains a 1:1 ratio of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). This analysis aimed to assess gonadotropin (FSH, LH and hCG) abundance in HP-hMG and clarify the source of hCG by assessing the presence of sulfated glycans, which are diagnostic for pituitary hCG forms due to their distinct glycosylation patterns. Additionally, the purity of each sample, their specific components, and their oxidation levels were assessed. HP-hMG samples (three of Menopur® and two of Menogon® Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Saint-Prex, Switzerland) were included in the current analyses. Brevactid® (urinary hCG; Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Saint-Prex, Switzerland) and Ovidrel® (recombinant hCG; Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany) were used as control samples. Glycopeptide mapping and analysis of impurities were carried out by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Oxidation was assessed through reducing peptide mapping using LC-MS/MS. The FSH and LH in the HP-hMG samples showed sulfated glycans, while no signals of sulfated glycopeptides were detected on any site of the beta subunit of hCG. HP-hMG test samples presented the same hCG glycan distribution as the control sample (placental hCG, Brevactid®) extracted from the urine of pregnant women, suggesting a non-pituitary source of hCG. Protein impurities were estimated to constitute approximately 20-30% of the entire HP-hMG protein content in the test samples. More than 200 non-gonadotropin proteins were identified in the HP-hMG test samples, of which several were involved in embryonic development or pregnancy. The alpha subunit of the tested samples was strongly oxidized, with a relative abundance of 20% of the total gonadotropin content. Without taking into account all the protein impurities, the beta subunit of LH was detected only in traces (0.9-1.2%) in all tested HP-HMG samples, confirming the data obtained by intact molecule analysis, while high levels of beta hCG (18-47%) were observed. Advanced molecular analysis of HP-hMG indicates a primarily placental origin of hCG, as evidenced by the absence of hCG sulfated glycans and the predominance of placental non-sulfated hCG in LH activity. The analysis revealed 20-30% of protein impurities and a significant presence of oxidized forms in the HP-hMG samples. These findings are critical for understanding the quality, safety, and clinical profile of HP-hMG.

Occurrence and health risks of multiple emerging bisphenol S analogues in pregnant women from South China

Recently, there has been increasing concern regarding the emergence of bisphenol S analogues (BPSs) due to their potential toxicity. However, their exposure levels and associated health risks in susceptible populations remain unknown. In our study, we analyzed bisphenol A (BPA), along with 11 common BPA analogues (BPAs), and nine emerging BPSs in urine samples collected from 381 pregnant women in South China. All nine BPSs were first detected in pregnant women’s urine. In addition to BPA, two BPAs, three BPSs including Diphenylsulfone (DPS), Bis(phenylsulfonyl)phenol (DBSP) and Bis(3-allyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)sulfone (TGSA), were identified as the predominant bisphenols, with detection frequencies ranging from 53–100 %. BPA still exhibited the highest median concentration at 0.624 ng/mL, followed by DPS (0.169 ng/mL), BPS (0.063 ng/mL) and DBSP (0.023 ng/mL). Importantly, mothers with higher levels of BPA, DBSP, DPS, and TGSA in their urine are statistically more likely to give birth to premature infants with shorter lengths at birth or smaller head circumference (p < 0.05). Although the median exposure to 21 bisphenols did not exceed the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of BPA, it did surpass the recently proposed BPA TDI (0.2 ng/kg bw/day) by a factor ranging from 1.1–99 times. This study signifies the first report unveiling the prevalence of multiple bisphenols, particularly emerging BPSs, in the urine of pregnant women in South China.

High prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance in escherichia coli strains producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases isolated from faeces and urine of pregnant women with acute cystitis.

Escherichia coli is the most common etiological agent of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Meanwhile, plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) is reported in E. coli isolates producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs). Furthermore, the reservoirs and mechanisms of acquisition of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains are poorly understood. On the other hand, UTIs are common in pregnant women and the treatment challenge is alarming. In the present study, 54 pregnant women with acute cystitis were included. A total of 108 E. coli isolates, 54 isolates from UTI and 54 isolates from faeces of pregnant women (same host) were collected. In the antimicrobial susceptibility test, the highest rate of antibiotic resistance was to nalidixic acid (77%, 83/108) and the lowest rate was to imipenem (9%, 10/108). Among the isolates, 44% (48/108) were ESBLs producers. A high frequency of PMQR genes was observed in the isolates. The frequency of PMQR genes qnrS, qnrB, aac(6')-Ib-cr, and qnrA was 58% (63/108), 21% (23/108), 9% (10/108), and 4% (4/108), respectively. Meanwhile, PMQR genes were not detected in 24% (20/85) of isolates resistant to nalidixic acid and/or fluoroquinolone, indicating that other mechanisms, i.e. chromosomal mutations, are involved in resistance to quinolones, which were not detected in the present study. In ESBL-producing isolates, the frequency of PMQR genes was higher than that of non-ESBL-producing isolates (81% vs. 53%). Meanwhile, UTI and faeces isolates mainly belonged to phylogenetic group B2 (36/54, 67% and 25/54, 46%, respectively) compared to other phylogenetic groups. In addition, virulence factors and multidrug-resistant (MDR) were mainly associated with phylogenetic group B2. However, predominant clones in faeces were not found in UTIs. Rep-PCR revealed the presence of 85 clones in patients. Among the clones, 40 clones were detected only in faeces (faeces-only), 35 clones only in UTI (UTI-only) and 10 clones in both faeces and UTI (faeces-UTI). We found that out of 10 faeces-UTI clones, 5 clones were present in the host's faeces flora. This study revealed a high rate of resistance to the quinolone nalidixic acid and a widespread distribution of PMQR genes in MDR E. coli strains producing ESBLs. The strains represented virulence factors and phylogenetic group B2 are closely associated with abundance in UTI and faeces. However, the predominant clones in faeces were not found in UTIs and it is possible that rep-PCR is not sufficiently discriminating clones.

DETECTION OF OQXAB EFFLUX PUMPS GENE IN ESCHERICHIA COLI AND KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIA ISOLATED FROM PREGNANT WOMEN SUFFERED FROM URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS AND DIABETES MELLITUS IN BASRAH

Considerably, pregnant women with diabetes mellitus are highly susceptible to urinary tract infections. The aim of the study is investigate the incidence of OqxAB efflux pumps gene among Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia isolates from urine of pregnant women suffered from urinary tract infections and Diabetes mellitus. E.coli and K.pneumonia were identified using conventional methods and confirmed by specific 16S rDNA primers. Antibiotic susceptibility test of E. coli and K. pneumonia isolates against several antibiotics were examined using Vitek®-2 compact system .The production of efflux pump by E. coli and K. pneumonia isolates were investigated phenotypically using ethidium bromide-agar cartwheel method (EtBr CW). Moreover, OqxAB Efflux Pumps genes were tested. The results showed that among 100 urine samples, 40 urine samples showed positive bacterial growth where 21(51%) E coli isolates, 8(20%) K. pneumonia isolates. In terms of antibiotic sensitivity, all E.coli and K.pneumonia isolates were resistant to ampicillin, piperacillin and ticarcillin, respectively. The prevalence of OqxAB efflux pump genes frequency ranges from 72% in E. coli and 50% in K. pneumonia.

Detection of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Susceptibility in Escherichia coli Isolated from the Urine of Pregnant Women at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Detection of Biofilm Formation and Antibiotic Susceptibility in Escherichia coli Isolated from the Urine of Pregnant Women at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, Zanzibar, Tanzania

Dicamba and 2,4-D in the Urine of Pregnant Women in the Midwest: Comparison of Two Cohorts (2010–2012 vs. 2020–2022)

Currently, there are no known human biomonitoring studies that concurrently examine biomarkers of dicamba and 2,4-D. We sought to compare biomarkers of exposure to herbicides in pregnant women residing in the US Midwest before and after the adoption of dicamba-tolerant soybean technology using urine specimens obtained in 2010–2012 from the Nulliparous Pregnancy Outcomes Study: Monitoring Mothers-to-be (N = 61) and in 2020–2022 from the Heartland Study (N = 91). Specific gravity-standardized concentration levels for each analyte were compared between the cohorts, assuming data are lognormal and specifying values below the LOD as left-censored. The proportion of pregnant individuals with dicamba detected above the LOD significantly increased from 28% (95% CI: 16%, 40%) in 2010–2012 to 70% (95% CI: 60%, 79%) in 2020–2022, and dicamba concentrations also significantly increased from 0.066 μg/L (95% CI: 0.042, 0.104) to 0.271 μg/L (95% CI: 0.205, 0.358). All pregnant individuals from both cohorts had 2,4-D detected. Though 2,4-D concentration levels increased, the difference was not significant (p-value = 0.226). Reliance on herbicides has drastically increased in the last ten years in the United States, and the results obtained in this study highlight the need to track exposure and impacts on adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.

&lt;i&gt;Streptococcus agalactiae&lt;/i&gt; in asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic bacteriuria caused by group B gram-positive streptococcus, Streptococcus agalactiae, in pregnant women is a leading cause of sepsis in newborns and young children, transmitted from their mothers. In the present study, the frequency of S. agalactiae inoculation from the urine of pregnant women with asymptomatic bacteriuria was studied with the determination of the sensitivity of isolated strains to antibiotics.&#x0D; AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the inoculation of group B streptococcus in asymptomatic bacteriuria of pregnant women and to determine the sensitivity of the isolated cultures of the pathogen to the main antibiotics.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: The analysis involved bacteriological studies of 2,559 urine samples collected from pregnant women. Urine was inoculated on UriSelect 4 Medium chromogenic medium with subsequent identification of S. agalactiae using a strepto-latex test or a CAMP test with a Staphylococcus aureus culture. The sensitivity of microorganisms to antibacterial drugs was determined using the disk diffusion method. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistica 12.0 software package.&#x0D; RESULTS: Out of 2,559 urine samples studied, asymptomatic bacteriuria was detected in 317 samples (12.4%), and 330 strains of microorganisms were isolated. S. agalactiae was isolated by culture from 108 pregnant women (4.2% of the total subjects), with 50 cases (16%) showing asymptomatic bacteriuria caused by S. agalactiae. The high significance of Escherichia coli in asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women was shown, with a lesser extent of involvement observed with Enterococcus spp. Furthermore, associations of S. agalactiae with other microorganisms were identified. The high sensitivity of S. agalactiae strains to clindamycin, to a lesser extent to levofloxacin, chloramphenicol, and, especially, to erythromycin, has been demonstrated.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed a high culturability of group B streptococcus in asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women. Low sensitivity of isolated streptococci to erythromycin, moderate sensitivity to levofloxacin and chloramphenicol, and high sensitivity to clindamycin were also revealed.

Environmental concentrations of cadmium and zinc and associating metabolomics profile alternations in urine of pregnant women in the first trimester: A prospective cohort study in Taiyuan, North China

especially to pregnant women. In recent years, zinc (Zn) supplementation has attracted increasing attention among pregnant women. Thus, understanding the effects and interactions of Cd and Zn in pregnant women is critical. This study aimed to assess the urinary levels of Cd and Zn in pregnant women during early pregnancy, examine associated alterations in urine metabolomics, and identify potential metabolic biomarkers among distinct Cd and Zn groups. Urine samples from 185 pregnant women were collected, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to detect Cd and Zn contents. The women were then divided into four groups according to median contents of Cd and Zn. Alterations in the metabolite profile were assessed using a liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LC-MS). The results showed that the gravidity of pregnant women was closely related to urinary Cd levels and that the urinary Zn contents of pregnant women with morning sickness in the first trimester were lower than that of non-morning-sick pregnant women. A total of 51 metabolites exhibited significant differential expression in the high level of Cd and Zn (HCdHZn) compared with low level of Cd and Zn (LCdLZn), the diagnostic performance of these 51 metabolites were assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and revealed that octadecylamine was a promising diagnostic indicator for evaluating the combined effects of Zn and Cd. Metabolomics analysis showed that the arginine and proline pathways were upregulated in HCdHZn compared with that in LCdLZn, suggesting a potential risk of obesity. Although higer levels of bovinic acid in HCdHZn vs. HCdLZn (high level of Cd and low level of Zn) indicated that Zn has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, excessive Zn may still cause harmful effect to the human health and should be supplemented with caution. The study findings may be valuable for potential risk ahissessment of the combined effects of Cd-Zn and their interactions in pregnant women.

Diagnosis of asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnant women: Rational approaches

Asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB) during pregnancy has a negative impact on its course and also affects obstetric and perinatal outcomes. Objective. To optimize the diagnosis of AB in pregnant women to prevent possible negative effects of asymptomatic infections on obstetric and perinatal outcomes. Subjects and methods. A single-center prospective trial included 101 pregnant women, who in the first trimester had AB in different titers being detected by a screening bacteriological examination of their urine specimen. All the patients underwent repeated urinary bacteriological examination in compliance with all the requirements for this examination. The specific features of the course of pregnancy and perinatal outcomes were analyzed in women with bacteriuria detected in various titers. A control group consisted of 50 women without a history of urinary tract infections. Results. The repeated examination confirmed that 9 (9.0%) patients had bacteriuria in a titer ≥105 CFU/ml; 65 (70.6%) had this condition in a titer of 102–104 CFU/ml; no growth of etiologically significant microorganisms was found in 27 (29.4%) examinees. Studying the results of primary urine cultures revealed monoinfection in 72.3% of cases; a combination of two microorganisms was noted in 27.7%. The regional structure of the repeatedly isolated uropathogens is mainly represented by Enterobacteriales. The bacteriological examination of urine before antibacterial therapy repeatedly confirmed AB in a significant titer only in 9 patients (95% confidence interval, 0.042-0.162; p=0.029). Bacteriuria even through single separation of an uropathogen in a low titer during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk for mild anemia and hypertension. Conclusion. Even the single detection of uropathogens in the urine of pregnant women, including those with a low diagnostic titer of 102–104 CFU/ml is associated with the unfavorable course of pregnancy.

Urine Excretion, Organ Distribution, and Placental Transfer of 6PPD and 6PPD-Quinone in Mice and Potential Developmental Toxicity through Nuclear Receptor Pathways.

The rubber antioxidant 6PPD has gained significant attention due to its highly toxic transformation product, 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ). Despite their detection in urines of pregnant women, the placental transfer and developmental toxicity of 6PPD and 6PPDQ are unknown. Here, we treated C57Bl/6 mice with 4 mg/kg 6PPD or 6PPDQ to investigate their urine excretion and placental transfer. Female and male mice exhibited sex difference in excretion profiles of 6PPD and 6PPDQ. Urine concentrations of 6PPDQ were one order of magnitude lower than those of 6PPD, suggesting lower excretion and higher bioaccumulation of 6PPDQ. In pregnant mice treated with 6PPD or 6PPDQ from embryonic day 11.5 to 15.5, 6PPDQ showed ∼1.5-8 times higher concentrations than 6PPD in placenta, embryo body, and embryo brain, suggesting higher placental transfer of 6PPDQ. Using in vitro dual-luciferase reporter assays, we revealed that 6PPDQ activated the human retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) and retinoid X receptor α (RXRα) at concentrations as low as 0.3 μM, which was ∼10-fold higher than the concentrations detected in human urines. 6PPD activated the RXRα at concentrations as low as 1.2 μM. These results demonstrate the exposure risks of 6PPD and 6PPDQ during pregnancy and emphasize the need for further toxicological and epidemiological investigations.

Urinary congophilia in pregnancy: a marker of kidney injury rather than preeclampsia.

The differentiation between preeclampsia and similarly presenting kidney disease in pregnancy is a diagnostic challenge. Although some laboratory tests have been utilized, globally validated tools are yet needed, particularly in resource-limited settings. Congophilic proteins are abundantly detected in the urine of pregnant women who develop preeclampsia that is thought to be a marker of disease process. The present study aimed to assess the diagnostic and predictive utility of urinary congophilia in pregnant women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy as well as kidney diseases. This cohort study included 157 pregnant women, classified as healthy controls ( n = 38), preeclampsia/eclampsia ( n = 45), gestational hypertension ( n = 9), chronic hypertension ( n = 8), chronic kidney disease (CKD) ( n = 27), and pregnancy-related acute kidney injury (PR-AKI) ( n = 30). Urinary congophilia was assessed by Congo Red Dot Blot assay. Congo red retention (CRR) values were significantly higher in women with preeclampsia/eclampsia ( P ≤ 0.001), chronic hypertension ( P = 0.029), gestational hypertension ( P = 0.017), CKD ( P ≤ 0.001), PR-AKI secondary to preeclampsia ( P ≤ 0.001), and PR-AKI secondary to other causes ( P = 0.001), compared with healthy controls. Women with preeclampsia, CKD, and PR-AKI (non-preeclampsia related) exhibited the highest levels of CRR. CRR positively correlated to proteinuria ( P = 0.006) and serum creatinine ( P = 0.027). CRR did not significantly vary between women who presented antepartum and those presented postpartum after removal of the placenta ( P = 0.707). CRR at a cut-off point of at least 1.272 had 91% specificity and 61.1% sensitivity in predicting renal recovery in PR-AKI patients. CRR had a poor specificity in discriminating preeclampsia from the other clinical presentations. Urinary congophilia could not discriminate preeclampsia from similarly presenting kidney diseases in pregnancy. Further studies are needed to improve differentiation of these conditions.

A semi-automated hybrid HPLC-MS approach for in-depth characterization of intact non-covalent heterodimer glycoforms of gonadotropin biopharmaceuticals

BackgroundGonadotropins are a class of heavily glycosylated protein hormones, thus extremely challenging to characterize by mass spectrometry. As biopharmaceuticals, gonadotropins are prescribed for the treatment of infertility and are derived from different sources: either from pooled urine of pregnant women or upon production in genetically modified Chinese Hamster Ovary cells. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is sold as a biopharmaceutical under the name Pregnyl® (urinary hCG, u-hCG) and Ovitrelle® (recombinant hCG, r-hCG), and recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (r-hFSH) is marketed as Gonal-f®. Recently, we reported the exhaustive characterization of r-hCG at different structural levels. ResultsWe implement size exclusion (SE) HPLC-MS to automatize the acquisition of native mass spectra of r-hCG dimer, but also u-hCG and r-hFSH, comparing the drug products up to intact heterodimer level. A hybrid HPLC-MS approach was employed for the characterization of r-hCG, u-hCG and r-hFSH drug products at different structural levels. Released glycans were analyzed by porous graphitized carbon (PGC)-HPLC-MS/MS, glycopeptides by reversed-phase (RP)-HPLC-MS/MS, subunits by RP-HPLC-MS and finally the intact native heterodimers by semi-automated online buffer exchange SE-HPLC-MS. The data were integrated using bioinformatic tools, to finally unravel the composition of 1481 co-existing dimeric glycoforms for r-hCG, 1167 glycoforms for u-hCG, and 1440 glycoforms for r-hFSH, and to compare critical quality attributes of the different drug products such as their degree of sialylation and O-glycosylation. Significance and noveltyThe strong alliance of bioanalytics and bioinformatics data integration at the different structural levels allowed the identification of more than thousand different glycoforms of r-hCG, u-hCG, and r-hFSH. The results showed that these biopharmaceuticals differ considerably in their glycosylation patterns and highlight the importance of in-depth characterization of biopharmaceuticals for quality control.© 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid extraction and analysis of oxidative stress and DNA damage biomarker 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in urine: Application to a study with pregnant women.

Oxidative stress is an important toxicity and genotoxicity mechanism of many chronic adverse health outcomes. This study developed a sensitive extraction method for urine matrix (based on lyophilization, without the need for pre-cleaning by solid phase extraction), coupled to LC-MS/MS analysis of the biomarker 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). The methodology was validated in urine samples from a cohort of Spanish pregnant women collected during the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy, and urine samples collected within 24h after delivery (n=85). A detection and quantification limit of 0.01 and 0.05μg/L, respectively, were established. The median 8-OHdG concentration was 2.18μg/L (range 0.33-7.79); and the corresponding creatinine-adjusted concentrations ranged from 1.04 to 13.12 with median of 4.48μg 8-OHdG/g creatinine. The concentrations of non-adjusted 8-OHdG significantly decreased (p<0.05) in the 3rd trimester and post-delivery urine samples when compared to the 1st trimester levels. 8-OHdG concentrations were further studied in placenta samples matching the same urine samples (n=26), with a median value of 1.3ng 8-OHdG/g of tissue. Placental 8-OHdG concentrations were correlated with urinary levels of non-adjusted 8-OHdG in the 3rd trimester. Considering the small cohort size, results must be interpreted with caution, however statistical analyses revealed elevated urinary non-adjusted 8-OHdG levels in the 1st trimester of mothers that delivered boys compared to those who delivered girls (p<0.01). Increased urinary non-adjusted 8-OHdG concentrations at the time of delivery were significantly associated with clinical records (any type of clinical record during pregnancy; p<0.05). The novel extraction and analytical method for the assessment of 8-OHdG is applicable for sensitive analysis of multiple analytes or biomarkers in urine matrix. This method could also be applied for other matrices such as blood or tissues. Our findings show that 8-OHdG in urine of pregnant women could predict oxidative stress in placenta and can be related to characteristics such as maternal obesity, mode of delivery and newborn sex.

Overview of Third Trimester Pregnant Women's Urine Leukocyte Sediment and Protein Levels at the Laboratory of Anggrek Mas Hospital, West Jakarta

Pregnant women with the third trimester of pregnancy (7-9 months or 29-40 weeks), most of them give birth normally, but 15% of cases are life-threatening complications, namely preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is characterized by increased proteinuria. Women during pregnancy are more at risk of suffering from urinary tract infections because of the physiological changes that occur in their bodies. As many as 20% of cases of urinary tract infection occur in pregnant women. Examination of urine protein and urine leukocyte sediment in pregnant women is very important as a support for the risk of preeclampsia and urinary tract infections. This study used descriptive analysis with a cross-sectional design, namely one-time observation. Data used by third trimester pregnant women. The research was conducted in January-July 2022 at the Anggrek Mas Hospital Clinical Laboratory. There are 20 research subjects. With the highest protein levels at high risk of preeclampsia were (+3) 1 pregnant woman and (+4) 3 pregnant women. Then the leukocytes of the urine sediment are above normal values≥5/Landang Besar, namely there are 12 pregnant women each. In the majority of third trimester pregnant women at Anggrek Mas Hospital, West Jakarta, all pregnant women who were observed, the results of urine protein levels were found to be abnormal and urine sediment leukocytes were found to be above normal values

Maternal environmental, occupational, and urinary metabolite levels of benzene compounds and their association with congenital heart diseases in offspring: a case‒control study in China

The conclusions about the association of maternal pregnancy environment, occupation, and benzene compounds with fetal CHD are not entirely consistent. Eight hundred seven CHD cases and 1008 controls were included in this study. All occupations were classified and coded against the Occupational Classification Dictionary of the People’s Republic of China (2015 version). Logistic regressions were used to explore the correlation among environmental factors, occupation types, and CHDs in offspring. We found that living near public facilities and having exposure to chemical reagents and hazardous substances were significant risk factors for CHDs in offspring. We found that offspring of mothers who worked in agriculture and similar work during pregnancy suffered from CHD. The risk of all CHDs in the offspring of pregnant women working in production manufacturing and related work was significantly higher than that in unemployed pregnant women, the risk was also observed in 4 subtypes of CHDs. We compared the concentrations of the five metabolite (MA, mHA, HA, PGA, and SPMA) levels of benzene compounds in the urine of mothers in case and control groups and found no significant differences. Our study suggests that maternal exposure during pregnancy and certain environmental and occupational conditions are risk factors for CHD in offspring, but did not support an association between concentrations of metabolites of benzene compounds in the urine of pregnant women and CHDs in their offspring.

Determination of pilus-islands profile and antibiotic susceptibility of Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from urine of pregnant women.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most important causes of neonatal diseases and postpartum fever. GBS infection can be transmitted from the infected mother to her baby during delivery. This bacterium is also involved in causing urinary tract infections and asymptomatic bacteriuria, pyelonephritis, cystitis and urethritis. In addition to capsule, Pilus is known as a virulence factor of GBS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of pilus islands and antibiotic resistance in GBS isolated from urine of pregnant women in Yazd, Iran. In this cross-sectional study, 33 GBS samples isolated from the urine of pregnant women were studied by the multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the presence of pilus islands PI-1, PI-2a and PI-2b. Antibiotic resistance phenotype of tetracycline, penicillin, gentamicin, erythromycin, levofloxacin and clindamycin was determined by disk diffusion method. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 16. PI-1+PI-2a was the most frequent pilus island in the GBS isolates 28 (84.8%) and the frequency of PI-2b was 5 (15.2%). The frequency of PI-1+PI-2a was 50% in serotype III and 25%, 14.3%, 7.1% and 3.6% in serotypes Ia, II, Ib and V respectively (P=0.492). The sensitivity of all GBS isolates to penicillin was 93.9% and highest resistance to tetracycline (97%), clindamycin (24.2%) and erythromycin (21.2%). Most of the GBS urine isolates examined carried the PI-1+PI-2a gene, which increases bacterial potency in colonization and resistance to the immune system. Penicillin was best choice for prevention.

Microbiological monitoring of antibiotic resistance of strains of Streptococcus agalactiae among pregnant women

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the causative agent in 2–7% of all urinary tract infections (UTI), including asymptomatic bacteriuria (AB), cystitis, and pyelonephritis. We used the bacteriological quantitative method of sowing urine samples of pregnant women on Columbia agar with 5% lamb blood), Strepto B chromogenic agar and Todd Hewitt broth, identification of GBS strains with determination of sensitivity to bacitracin, hippurate hydrolysis test and CAMP test. Susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs was determined by the disk-diffusion method according to recommendations of the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. For the period of 2021, out of 3,356 urine samples of pregnant women, there were 149 samples of the investigated biomaterial with a positive result for GBS (resultancy – 4.4%). It was established that among the studied contingent, 41 strains of GBS were isolated in the first trimester of pregnancy (27.5%), in the second trimester – 59 strains (39.5%), in the third trimester – 49 strains (33.0%). It is established that out of the 149 strains of GBS, 38 strains (25.0%) were resistant to norfloxacin, 45 strains (30.0%) to erythromycin, 41 strains (28.0%) to clindamycin,125 strains (84.0%) to tetracycline, 20 strains (13.0%) to levofloxacin, 3 strains (2.0%) to nitrofurantoin. All strains of Streptococcus agalactiae were found to be sensitive to benzylpenicillin. The number of resistant strains of SGB identified from the urine of pregnant women was 47 strains. All resistant strains were resistant to at least three groups of antibacterial drugs, except beta-lactams. The results of the scientific research will allow us to obtain dynamic data on the antibiotic resistance of GBS strains in order to study the rate of development of antibiotic sensitivity of this microorganism. In the future, the research data can be used by scientists when reviewing protocols for the treatment of urinary tract infections in pregnant women.

Epidemiology of Bacterial Urinary Tract Infection and Antibiotics Sensitivity among Pregnant Women at Taiz City, Yemen

Background: Bacterial Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) is an infection caused by the presence and growth of bacteria anywhere in the urinary tract. Objective: The present study was done to evaluate epidemiology of UTI (prevalence, risk factors, bacterial isolates and antibiotic sensitivity) among pregnant women in Taiz, City, Yemen. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used for this research from March 2022 to July 2022, including 200 outpatient cases of pregnant women, obtained from hospitals in Taiz-city, Yemen. Urine specimens of pregnant women using midstream urine. Bacteria were identified by standard microbiological methods. Results: Escherichia coli was the most prevalent isolate, it was recovered 36 (42.86%) of total bacterial UTIs samples, followed by Staphylococcus aureus as the second most common representing in 24 (28.57%), and Klebsiella sp was appeared in 15 (17.86%), the Proteus sp was representing in 5 (5.95%), and Staphylococcus saprophyticus appeared in 4 (4.76%). The remaining urine sample isolates were non-bacterial growth (negative cases), representing 116 (58%). Bacterial UTIs were highly present in the age group between 25-34 years, secondary education patients, housewife patients, third pregnancy or above, and during the third trimester. Escherichia coli isolates were (100%) sensitive to Tobramycin, Ceftazidime, Ceftriaxone and Aztreonam. Klebsiella sp isolates were (100%) sensitive to Tobramycin only. Proteus sp isolates were (100%) sensitive to Tobramycin, Ceftazidime, and Ceftriaxone. Staphylococcus saprophyticus isolates were (100%) sensitive to all antibacterial drugs except Methiciliin. Staphylococcus aureus isolates were (100%) sensitive to Tobramycin and Aztreon. Conclusions: Escherichia coli washwhfhj the most prevalent isolate from urine of pregnant women. The most important risk factors are third pregnancy, third trimester, and symptomatic bacteruria. Most of the tested antibiotics showed sensitivity to the bacterial isolates. Urine culture for screening and diagnosis purpose for all pregnant is recommended.

Occurrence of bisphenol diglycidyl ethers and bisphenol analogs, and their associations with DNA oxidative damage in pregnant women

Bisphenol diglycidyl ethers (BDGEs) and Bisphenol A and its analogs (bisphenols) may have the same exposure routes and coexposure phenomenon in sensitive populations such as pregnant women. Previous biomonitoring studies on BDGEs are limited. Levels of fifteen bisphenols, six BDGEs and the DNA oxidative damage biomarker 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured in the urine of pregnant women recruited in south China (n = 358). We aimed to provide the occurrence of bisphenols and BDGEs in pregnant women, and to investigate the potential relationship between their exposure and oxidative stress. Bisphenol A, bisphenol S, bisphenol F, bisphenol AP and all BDGEs (except for BADGE·2HCl) were frequently detected. The total concentrations of all bisphenols and BDGEs were 0.402–338 and 0.104–32.5 ng/mL, with geometric means of 2.87 and 2.48 ng/mL, respectively. BFDGE was the most abundant chemical of BDGEs, with a median concentration of 0.872 ng/mL, followed by BADGE·H2O·HCl (0.297 ng/mL). Except for pre-pregnancy obesity, maternal age/height, employment, fasting in the morning and parity did not affect the urinary concentrations of BDGEs. Significant and weak correlations were observed between concentrations (unadjusted) of total bisphenols and BDGEs (r = 0.389, p < 0.01), indicating their similar sources and exposure routes. The biomarker 8-OHdG was detected in all samples, with concentrations ranging from 1.98 to 32.6 ng/mL (median: 9.96 ng/mL). Levels of 8-OHdG were positively correlated with urinary several bisphenol concentrations (adjusted β range: 0.037–0.089, p < 0.05) but were not correlated with those of BDGEs. Further studies should focus on whether BDGEs and bisphenols exert combined effects on oxidative stress. Our study provided the first BDGEs exposure data in pregnant women and indicated that BDGEs exposure was highly prevalent in pregnant women as early as 2015 in south China.