Preterm labor and neonatal sepsis caused by intrauterine Helicobacter cinaedi infection

Helicobacter cinaedi Bacteremia in Children: A Case Report and Literature Review

Helicobacter cinaedi is known to cause invasive infections in immunocompromised adults. Here we report the first case of H. cinaedi bacteremia in a child with nephrotic syndrome. The patient presented with a mild transient febrile illness that resolved spontaneously. We discuss the diagnostic challenges associated with this case and the microbiologic approach, including genomic analysis. Furthermore, we review the current case together with all previous pediatric cases (n = 6). Notably, all cases involved neonates or otherwise immunocompromised individuals and were characterized by severe disease with complicated infections (eg, meningitis, cholangitis and arthritis). H. cinaedi bacteremia in children is associated with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations ranging from mild to life-threatening conditions. This bacterium may be difficult to diagnose and require specialized methods.

Enterohepatic Helicobacter species - clinical importance, host range, and zoonotic potential

The genus Helicobacter defined just over 30 years ago, is a highly diverse and fast-growing group of bacteria that are able to persistently colonize a wide range of animals. The members of this genus are subdivided into two groups with different ecological niches, associated pathologies, and phylogenetic relationships: the gastric Helicobacter (GH) and the enterohepatic Helicobacter (EHH) species. Although GH have been mostly studied, EHH species have become increasingly important as emerging human pathogens and potential zoonotic agents in the last years. This group of bacteria has been associated with the development of several diseases in humans from acute pathologies like gastroenteritis to chronic pathologies that include inflammatory bowel disease, and liver and gallbladder diseases. However, their reservoirs, as well as their routes of transmission, have not been well established yet. Therefore, this review summarizes the current knowledge of taxonomy, epidemiology, and clinical role of the EHH group.

Early onset neonatal bacterial meningitis in term infants: the clinical features, perinatal conditions, and in-hospital outcomes: A single center retrospective analysis

To compare clinical features and outcomes between early and late onset of neonatal bacterial meningitis (NBM).Patients were allocated in 2 groups: early onset neonatal bacterial meningitis (ENBM) and late onset neonatal bacterial meningitis (LNBM). Data analysis includes asphyxia at birth, premature rupture of membranes (PROM), amnionitis, amniotic fluid contamination, maternal age, clinical manifestations of the patients, laboratory findings, radiological results, complications related to meningitis, duration of hospitalization and therapeutic effect.There was no difference in gender, birth weight, gestational age, and incidence of asphyxia between 2 groups. The incidence of PROM, chorioamnionitis and amniotic fluid contamination, proportion of small-for-gestational-age infants, convulsions, intracranial hemorrhage, hyperbilirubinemia, and the protein level of cerebrospinal fluid in ENBM group were higher than that in LNBM group (P < .05); the proportion of fever, elevated C-reaction protein and the abnormal of platelet counts in LNBM group was higher than that in ENBM group (P < .05). There was no difference in the incidence of complications and hospitalization time between 2 groups. The rate of effective treatment in LNBM group was significantly higher than that in ENBM group (P < .05).Patients with conditions of amniotic fluid contamination, chorioamnionitis, small-for-gestational-age and PROM might be more prone to develop ENBM and ENBM had worse outcomes than LNBM.

Ovarian abscess caused by Helicobacter cinaedi in a patient with endometriosis

Helicobacter cinaedi is a rarely encountered pathogen that easily induces bacteremia. Various foci of H. cinaedi infection have been reported; however, no case of adnexal abscess caused by H. cinaedi has been reported in the English literature. We herein report a case of ovarian abscess caused by H. cinaedi.

A 38-year-old nulligravid Japanese woman was admitted to our hospital with an adnexal abscess. Clinical findings included fever, leukocytosis, and elevated C-reactive protein. Laparoscopic right partial oophorectomy with abdominal lavage was performed. H. cinaedi was isolated from cultures of blood and ovarian abscess fluid after surgery. Intravenous ampicillin/sulbactam was administered for 2 weeks, followed by oral amoxicillin for an additional 2 weeks. The postoperative course was uneventful and clinical findings improved. There was no evidence of relapse. H. cinaedi can cause ovarian abscess and is likely an under-recognized pathogen.

Epithelial Coculture and l-Lactate Promote Growth of Helicobacter cinaedi under H2-Free Aerobic Conditions

Helicobacter cinaedi is an emerging opportunistic pathogen associated with infections of diverse anatomic sites. Nevertheless, the species demonstrates fastidious axenic growth; it has been described as requiring a microaerobic atmosphere, along with a strong preference for supplemental H₂ gas. In this context, we examined the hypothesis that in vitro growth of H. cinaedi could be enhanced by coculture with human epithelial cells. When inoculated (in Ham's F12 medium) over Caco-2 monolayers, the type strain (ATCC BAA-847) gained the ability to proliferate under H₂-free aerobic conditions. Identical results were observed during coculture with several other monolayer types (LS-174T, AGS, and HeLa). Under chemically defined conditions, 40 amino acids and carboxylates were screened for their effect on the organism's atmospheric requirements. Several molecules promoted H₂-free aerobic proliferation, although it occurred most prominently with millimolar concentrations of l-lactate. The growth response of H. cinaedi to Caco-2 cells and l-lactate was confirmed with a collection of 12 human-derived clinical strains. mRNA sequencing was next performed on the type strain under various growth conditions. In addition to providing a whole-transcriptome profile of H. cinaedi, this analysis demonstrated strong constitutive expression of the l-lactate utilization locus, as well as differential transcription of terminal respiratory proteins as a function of Caco-2 coculture and l-lactate supplementation. Overall, these findings challenge traditional views of H. cinaedi as an obligate microaerophile.

IMPORTANCE

H. cinaedi is an increasingly recognized pathogen in people with compromised immune systems. Atypical among other members of its bacterial class, H. cinaedi has been associated with infections of diverse anatomic sites. Growing H. cineadi in the laboratory is quite difficult, due in large part to the need for a specialized atmosphere. The suboptimal growth of H. cinaedi is an obstacle to clinical diagnosis, and it also limits investigation into the organism's biology. The current work shows that H. cinaedi has more flexible atmospheric requirements in the presence of host cells and a common host-derived molecule. This nutritional interplay raises new questions about how the organism behaves during human infections and provides insights for how to optimize its laboratory cultivation.