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Liu W, Yang T, Kong Y, Xie X, Ruan Z. Ureaplasma infections: update on epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenesis. Crit Rev Microbiol 2024:1-31. [PMID: 38794781 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2024.2349556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Human Ureaplasma species are being increasingly recognized as opportunistic pathogens in human genitourinary tract infections, infertility, adverse pregnancy, neonatal morbidities, and other adult invasive infections. Although some general reviews have focused on the detection and clinical manifestations of Ureaplasma spp., the molecular epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenesis of Ureaplasma spp. have not been adequately explained. The purpose of this review is to offer valuable insights into the current understanding and future research perspectives of the molecular epidemiology, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogenesis of human Ureaplasma infections. This review summarizes the conventional culture and detection methods and the latest molecular identification technologies for Ureaplasma spp. We also reviewed the global prevalence and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance for Ureaplasma spp. Aside from regular antibiotics, novel antibiotics with outstanding in vitro antimicrobial activity against Ureaplasma spp. are described. Furthermore, we discussed the pathogenic mechanisms of Ureaplasma spp., including adhesion, proinflammatory effects, cytotoxicity, and immune escape effects, from the perspectives of pathology, related molecules, and genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenwen Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ting Yang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yingying Kong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xinyou Xie
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi Ruan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Diagnosis and Monitoring Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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van Gorp C, de Lange IH, Hütten MC, López-Iglesias C, Massy KRI, Kessels L, Knoops K, Cuijpers I, Sthijns MMJPE, Troost FJ, van Gemert WG, Spiller OB, Birchenough GMH, Zimmermann LJI, Wolfs TGAM. Antenatal Ureaplasma Infection Causes Colonic Mucus Barrier Defects: Implications for Intestinal Pathologies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4000. [PMID: 38612809 PMCID: PMC11011967 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25074000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Chorioamnionitis is a risk factor for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Ureaplasma parvum (UP) is clinically the most isolated microorganism in chorioamnionitis, but its pathogenicity remains debated. Chorioamnionitis is associated with ileal barrier changes, but colonic barrier alterations, including those of the mucus barrier, remain under-investigated, despite their importance in NEC pathophysiology. Therefore, in this study, the hypothesis that antenatal UP exposure disturbs colonic mucus barrier integrity, thereby potentially contributing to NEC pathogenesis, was investigated. In an established ovine chorioamnionitis model, lambs were intra-amniotically exposed to UP or saline for 7 d from 122 to 129 d gestational age. Thereafter, colonic mucus layer thickness and functional integrity, underlying mechanisms, including endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and redox status, and cellular morphology by transmission electron microscopy were studied. The clinical significance of the experimental findings was verified by examining colon samples from NEC patients and controls. UP-exposed lambs have a thicker but dysfunctional colonic mucus layer in which bacteria-sized beads reach the intestinal epithelium, indicating undesired bacterial contact with the epithelium. This is paralleled by disturbed goblet cell MUC2 folding, pro-apoptotic ER stress and signs of mitochondrial dysfunction in the colonic epithelium. Importantly, the colonic epithelium from human NEC patients showed comparable mitochondrial aberrations, indicating that NEC-associated intestinal barrier injury already occurs during chorioamnionitis. This study underlines the pathogenic potential of UP during pregnancy; it demonstrates that antenatal UP infection leads to severe colonic mucus barrier deficits, providing a mechanistic link between antenatal infections and postnatal NEC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte van Gorp
- Department of Pediatrics, School for Oncology and Reproduction (GROW), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands; (C.v.G.); (M.C.H.); (K.R.I.M.); (L.K.); (L.J.I.Z.)
| | - Ilse H. de Lange
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Matthias C. Hütten
- Department of Pediatrics, School for Oncology and Reproduction (GROW), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands; (C.v.G.); (M.C.H.); (K.R.I.M.); (L.K.); (L.J.I.Z.)
- Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Carmen López-Iglesias
- Microscopy CORE Lab, Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute (M4I), Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (C.L.-I.); (K.K.)
| | - Kimberly R. I. Massy
- Department of Pediatrics, School for Oncology and Reproduction (GROW), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands; (C.v.G.); (M.C.H.); (K.R.I.M.); (L.K.); (L.J.I.Z.)
| | - Lilian Kessels
- Department of Pediatrics, School for Oncology and Reproduction (GROW), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands; (C.v.G.); (M.C.H.); (K.R.I.M.); (L.K.); (L.J.I.Z.)
| | - Kèvin Knoops
- Microscopy CORE Lab, Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging Institute (M4I), Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands; (C.L.-I.); (K.K.)
| | - Iris Cuijpers
- Food Innovation and Health, Department of Human Biology, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 5911 BV Venlo, The Netherlands; (I.C.); (M.M.J.P.E.S.); (F.J.T.)
| | - Mireille M. J. P. E. Sthijns
- Food Innovation and Health, Department of Human Biology, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 5911 BV Venlo, The Netherlands; (I.C.); (M.M.J.P.E.S.); (F.J.T.)
| | - Freddy J. Troost
- Food Innovation and Health, Department of Human Biology, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 5911 BV Venlo, The Netherlands; (I.C.); (M.M.J.P.E.S.); (F.J.T.)
| | - Wim G. van Gemert
- Department of Surgery, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands;
| | - Owen B. Spiller
- Division of Infection and Immunity, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4XW, UK;
| | - George M. H. Birchenough
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden;
| | - Luc J. I. Zimmermann
- Department of Pediatrics, School for Oncology and Reproduction (GROW), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands; (C.v.G.); (M.C.H.); (K.R.I.M.); (L.K.); (L.J.I.Z.)
| | - Tim G. A. M. Wolfs
- Department of Pediatrics, School for Oncology and Reproduction (GROW), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands; (C.v.G.); (M.C.H.); (K.R.I.M.); (L.K.); (L.J.I.Z.)
- Department of Biomedical Engineering (BMT), School for Cardiovascular Diseases (CARIM), Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Farfour E, Vasse M, Vallée A. Mollicutes-related infections in thoracic surgery including lung and heart transplantation: A systematic review. J Heart Lung Transplant 2024; 43:169-180. [PMID: 37797819 DOI: 10.1016/j.healun.2023.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urogenital Mollicutes, that is, Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma spp., can colonize the urogenital tract. While urogenital colonization is frequent, infections are rare but should not be missed. Furthermore, extragenital infections are even rarer. Over the past years, they have been increasingly documented as a cause of hyperammonemia syndrome (HS) and post-surgical infections. We review the literature on studies focused on post-surgical infections and HS involving urogenital Mollicutes after thoracic surgery including lung (LTR) and heart (HTR) transplantation. METHODS A systematic review was performed by searching PubMed/Medline case reports, case series, cohort studies, and clinical trials. Cases of infections and HS by urogenital Mollicutes after HTR and LTR transplantations were reported. RESULTS Overall, urogenital Mollicutes were associated with 15 HS, 31 infections in HTR and LTR, and 18 post-thoracic surgical infections in another context. Post-surgical infections were reported in all contexts. They were mainly due to M hominis, the only species that could cultivate on standard enriched agar forming pinpoint colonies after 3-5 days of incubation. Microbiologists should be prompted to pinpoint colonies even if the examination of Gram-staining is negative. The patients' management required surgical treatment and antimicrobials, almost always tetracyclines and/or fluoroquinolones. Conversely, HS occurred almost exclusively in bilateral LTR and is more likely due to Ureaplasma spp. As Ureaplasma spp. do not cultivate on standard media, the microbiological diagnosis was performed using molecular methods. CONCLUSIONS Infections involving urogenital Mollicute should be considered in LTR with HS. The overall rate of mortality is high and might be due in part to delay in etiologic diagnosis. Post-surgical infections were reported in all contexts. The route of contamination with Mollicutes remains unknown in HTR and non-transplant surgery, but evidence of transmission from donors has been documented for LTR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Farfour
- Service de Biologie Clinique, Hôpital Foch, Suresnes, France.
| | - Marc Vasse
- Service de Biologie Clinique, Hôpital Foch, Suresnes, France; Université Paris-Saclay, INSERM Hémostase Inflammation Thrombose HITH U1176, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Alexandre Vallée
- Département d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique, Hôpital Foch, Suresnes, France
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Flurofamide Prevention and Treatment of Ureaplasma-Induced Hyperammonemia. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0192722. [PMID: 35993783 PMCID: PMC9602998 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01927-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperammonemia (HA) syndrome caused by respiratory infection with ammonia (NH3)-producing Ureaplasma species occurs in 4% of lung transplant recipients (LTRs) and is associated with high mortality. Although Ureaplasma-targeted antibiotic intervention is effective, the threat of antibiotic resistance development and pre-existing resistance make an alternative to antibiotics desirable. Considering that the underlying pathology of Ureaplasma-induced hyperammonemia (UIHA) is dependent upon ureaplasmal urease converting urea to NH3, urease inhibition could represent a targeted treatment approach. Here, the ability of the urease inhibitor, flurofamide, to prevent and treat UIHA was investigated. To confirm that flurofamide is broadly active against Ureaplasma respiratory isolates, the minimum urease inhibitory concentration against 4 isolates of Ureaplasma parvum and 5 isolates of Ureaplasma urealyticum was first determined in vitro. NH3 production by all isolates was inhibited by ≤2 μM flurofamide. To test the ability of flurofamide to prevent and treat UIHA, a mouse model of Ureaplasma respiratory infection was utilized. When animals were administered 6 mg/kg flurofamide via intraperitoneal injection 1 h prior to infection with U. parvum, flurofamide-administered animals exhibited significantly lower blood NH3 levels than did non-prophylaxed animals (10.9 ± 4.0 μmol/L compared to 26.5 ± 17.7 μmol/L; P = 0.0146) 24 h post-treatment. When U. parvum-infected hyperammonemic mice were treated with 6 mg/kg flurofamide, treated animals had significantly greater decreases in blood-NH3 levels 6 h post-treatment than did untreated mice (56.4 ± 17.1% compared to 9.1 ± 33.5% reduction; P = 0.0152). Together, these results indicate that flurofamide is a promising non-antibiotic treatment for UIHA in LTRs. IMPORTANCE Ureaplasma-associated hyperammonemia syndrome occurs in 4% of lung transplant recipients and has historically been almost universally fatal. While Ureaplasma-targeted antibiotics have been shown to be protective, the possibility of underlying resistance and resistance selection render non-antibiotic interventions an interesting approach.
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Fleming D, Cunningham SA, Patel R. Contribution of Uremia to Ureaplasma-Induced Hyperammonemia. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0194221. [PMID: 35171026 PMCID: PMC8849080 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01942-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung transplant recipients (LTRs) are vulnerable to hyperammonemia syndrome (HS) in the early postoperative period, a condition typically unresponsive to nonantibiotic interventions. HS in LTRs is strongly correlated with Ureaplasma infection of the respiratory tract, although it is not well understood what makes LTRs preferentially susceptible to HS compared to other immunocompromised hosts. Ureaplasma species harbor highly active ureases, and postoperative LTRs commonly experience uremia. We hypothesized that uremia could be a potentiating comorbidity, providing increased substrate for ureaplasmal ureases. Using a novel dialyzed flow system, the ammonia-producing capacities of four isolates of Ureaplasma parvum and six isolates of Ureaplasma urealyticum in media formulations relating to normal and uremic host conditions were tested. For all isolates, growth under simulated uremic conditions resulted in increased ammonia production over 24 h, despite similar endpoint bacterial quantities. Further, transcripts of ureC (from the ureaplasmal urease gene cluster) from U. urealyticum IDRL-10763 and ATCC-27816 rose at similar rates under uremic and nonuremic conditions, with similar endpoint populations under the two conditions (despite markedly increased ammonia concentrations under uremic conditions), indicating that the difference in ammonia production by these isolates is due to increased urease activity, not expression. Lastly, uremic mice infected with an Escherichia coli strain harboring a U. urealyticum serovar 8 gene cluster exhibited higher blood ammonia levels compared to nonuremic mice infected with the same strain. Taken together, these data show that U. urealyticum and U. parvum produce more ammonia under uremic conditions compared to nonuremic conditions. This implies that uremia is a plausible contributing factor to Ureaplasma-induced HS in LTRs. IMPORTANCE Ureaplasma-induced hyperammonemia syndrome is a deadly complication affecting around 4% of lung transplant recipients and, to a lesser extent, other solid organ transplant patients. Understanding the underlying mechanisms will inform patient management, potentially decreasing mortality and morbidity. Here, it is shown that uremia is a plausible contributing factor to the pathophysiology of the condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Fleming
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Scott A. Cunningham
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Robin Patel
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
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