Childhood and Pregnancy Infections Flashcards
Why should all women be offered routine screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria by midstream urine culture early in pregnancy?
Identification and treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria reduces the risk of pyelonephritis.
How is passive immunity acquired in the foetus?
Maternal immunoglobulin G (IgG) is transported across the placenta to offer short term passive immunity
What 3 infectious diseases are screened for during pregnancy?
- HIV
- Syphilis
- Hep B
These can all be passed from mother to baby during pregnancy and birth
Why is screening for rubella during pregnancy no longer offered?
MMR vaccine
What is TORCH an acronym for?
A group of diseases that cause congenital (present at birth) conditions if a foetus is exposed to them in the uterus.
T: Toxoplasmosis
O: Others (syphilis, HIV, Coxsackie virus, Hep B, Varicella-Zoster)
R: Rubella
C: Cytomegalovirus
H: Herpes simplex disease
What diseases come under ‘Other’ of the TORCH acronym?
syphilis, HIV, Coxsackie virus, Hep B, Varicella-Zoster
What is considered to be the newest member of TORCH infections?
Zika virus
How is the zika virus transmitted?
Mosquito bite –> travel history is key
How can Zika virus infection during pregnancy affect the foetus?
microcephaly and other severe foetal brain defects
How is toxoplasmosis transmitted?
Ingestion of oocysts
How can the TORCH infections affect babies?
Most of the TORCH infections cause mild maternal morbidity, but have serious feotal consequences: abortion, stillbirth, prematurity, IUGR, congenital malformations (microcephaly, intracranial calcifications).
What are the potential effects of infection with influenza during pregnancy?
o No teratogenesis confirmed
o Premature delivery may occur, as in any febrile maternal illness, increasing the perinatal morbidity and mortality.
o The clinical syndrome in the mother is self-limited unless pneumonia supervenes and in the newborns manifests as any form of sepsis
How can HIV and HBV pass from mother to baby?
can be passed in utero & postnatal via breast milk
Is screening for Group B Streptococci (GBS) routinely offered during pregnancy?
No; not until it is clear that antenatal screening for GBS carriage does more good than harm and that the benefits are cost-effective
If a woman in a previous pregnancy has had GBS carriage, what is the likelihood of maternal GBS in the next pregnancy?
50%
The women who have had a previous GBS carriage, they have 3 choices during their next pregnancy.
What are these?
- To not have intra-partum antibiotics
- To have intra-partum antibiotics
- Screening at 35-37 weeks and offer antibiotics to those who have GBS colonisation
What is chorioamnionitis?
Inflammation of umbilical cord, amniotic membranes/fluid, placenta
This is a common precursor to preterm labour
Symptoms of chorioamnionitis?
Maternal fever, uterine tenderness, tachycardia, purulent/foul amniotic fluid
Pathogenesis of chorioamnionitis?
Bacteria ascend from the female genital tract, through the cervix to the amniotic fluid to cause infection
Haematogenous (via blood) infection is rare e.g. Listeria monocytogenes
Risk factors of chorioamnionitis?
o Prolonged rupture of membranes –> most common
o Other risk factors include amniocentesis, cordocentesis, cervical cerclage, multiple vaginal examinations, bacterial vaginosis
Causative organisms of chorioamnionitis?
o Group B Streptococcus
o Escherichia coli
o Genital Mycoplasma (Mycoplasma hominis & Ureaplasma urealyticum)
Effects of chorioamnionitis on foetus?
Adverse outcome for the neonate; sepsis, pneumonia and long-term neurodevelopment disability
Treatment for chorioamnionitis?
o Intra-partum antimicrobials and delivery of the foetus
o Antimicrobials should be administered at the time of diagnosis (not after delivery)
What is puerperal endometritis?
Uterine infection (lining of womb) during puerperium from vaginal bacteria.
What is puerperium?
The period of about six weeks after childbirth during which the mother’s reproductive organs return to their original non-pregnant condition.
Morbidity of puerperal endometritis?
Puerperal sepsis is a major cause of maternal death
Risk factors of puerperal endometritis?
- Caesarean section, prolonged labour
- Prolonged rupture of membranes
- Multiple vaginal examinations
Clinical features of puerperal endometritis?
o Fever (38.5C in first 24h post-delivery or >38.0 for 4 hours, 24h+ after delivery) o uterine tenderness o purulent, foul-smelling lochia o increased white cell count o general malaise, abdominal pain
What is lochia?
Vaginal postpartum bleeding; the heavy flow of blood and mucus that starts after delivery.
Causative organisms of puerperal endometritis?
o Escherichia coli
o Beta-haemolytic Streptococci (Group B)
o Anaerobes