Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology

BACKGROUND: Congenital syphilis (CS) is associated with significant perinatal morbidity and mortality. The study objectives were to compare risk factors among women with syphilis infection whose pregnancies did and did not result in CS cases and to evaluate other geographic and socioeconomic characteristics of county of residence as a measure of healthcare inequity. METHODS: This study linked maternal and congenital syphilis data from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH), 2008-2015...

BACKGROUND: Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP), is a leading indication for hospitalization in the first trimester. NVP and HG are associated with Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection in non-United States cohorts. How HP exposure and NVP interact to affect metabolic disturbance and pregnancy outcomes is not known. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We designed a retrospective cohort study relating HP and NVP to serum electrolyte laboratory results, preterm delivery, and infant birth weight...

Scientific evidence suggests an increased risk of maternal and obstetric complications in pregnant patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study is aimed at evaluating perinatal and maternal outcomes among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a university hospital setting. This was a prospective cohort study of 177 pregnant women with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection at a tertiary hospital between May 2020 and November 2021. Both symptomatic and asymptomatic women with a positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test result at any time during pregnancy were included in this study...

INTRODUCTION: Discuss the impact of cholera infection on pregnant women, fetus, and neonates and review the safety of cholera vaccines in pregnancy. METHODS: This study was carried out as a narrative review during November 2022. A thorough literature review was conducted on the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, SciELO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. The following parameters were assessed from the included studies: type of cholera vaccine, cholera symptoms, cholera treatment, effect of cholera on pregnancy, effect of cholera treatment on pregnancy, effect of cholera vaccine on pregnancy, risk factors for fetuses and neonates, and prevention of cholera...

BACKGROUND: Proper antenatal care is one of great means of reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality. However, determining level of knowledge and practice is vital, and the objective of this study was to evaluate this gap among pregnant women in Amatere Health Center, Massawa city, Eritrea, 2019. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with systematic sampling was conducted. All pregnant mothers who were resident of Massawa city and visiting Amatere Health Center for their current pregnancy were included in the study...

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is Ethiopia's second biggest cause of cancer-related death among women. The introduction of human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination is expected to have a significant impact on the burden of cervical cancer. In Ethiopia, particularly in our study area, little is known regarding girls' acceptance of HPV vaccination. Therefore, this study has assessed the acceptance of HPV vaccination and associated factors among girls in Arba Minch town, southern Ethiopia. METHODS: A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted on January 1, 2020...

Female genital tuberculosis is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in the female reproductive tract. The disease burden among women leads to infertility is significant, especially in developing countries. The bacteria can spread from the lung into the reproductive organ through lymphatic or hematogenous. Many patients present with atypical symptoms, which mimic other gynecological conditions. Several investigations are needed to establish the diagnosis. Almost all cases of genital TB affect the fallopian tube and cause infertility in patients and endometrial involvement...

OBJECTIVE: We assessed knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding two malaria prevention measures (long-lasting impregnated mosquito nets, LLINs, and intermittent preventative therapy with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP)) among pregnant women in Nigeria. METHODS: Pregnant women selected from among the four communities of Nnewi were interviewed by using a semistructured, interviewer-administered questionnaire on the respondents' demography, knowledge of the cause, consequences, and malaria prevention methods...

Background: Infection with group B Streptococcus (GBS) is still a neonatal life-threatening illness, especially in developing countries such as Yemen. Objective: This study was aimed at determining the vaginal colonization rate and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of GBS among Yemeni pregnant women. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study over a four-month period involving 210 pregnant women at the 35th to 39th gestational weeks who visited Gaza medical center in Sana'a city, Yemen...

BACKGROUND: Vertical transmission of several viruses during pregnancy has been shown to cause adverse fetal outcomes. The question about the possibility of a similar outcome in association with SARS-CoV-2 has been raised in recently published articles. Indeed, the rate of transmission through the placenta to the fetus reported in women with COVID-19 has been shown to form a minority. The aim of this study was to explore the possible histopathological changes in the placenta of pregnant women with COVID-19 after delivery and those changes in the umbilical cord...

BACKGROUND: Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is associated with high-risk HPV (hrHPV) genotypes. There is a proposed bidirectional relationship between hrHPV and vaginal microbial diversity. This study investigated the association between BV associated bacteria in women co-infected with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hrHPV. METHODS: Stored cervical cytobrush samples were used for real time PCR detection of eight BV associated bacteria. Analysis of BV bacteria detected against HPV infection, socio-demographics and HIV data were conducted in R Statistical computing software of the R Core Team, 2020, version 3...

INTRODUCTION: Toxoplasma gondii infection can cause important complications during pregnancy. Threatened abortion may be a late indicator for infection in settings with high prevalence of toxoplasmosis. We aimed to determine the association between T. gondii infection and threatened abortion in women from northern Peru. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study in pregnant women from a hospital and a rural community in Lambayeque, Peru...

Introduction: Menstruation is crucial in the reproductive lives of all women. The advent of menses in most settings is accompanied by physical and psychological health, religious, social, and cultural implications. The research intends to identify determinants of menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices among adolescent girls in Junior High Schools in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region of Ghana. Methods: The study employed an analytical cross-sectional design with 430 adolescent schoolgirls selected through multistage sampling techniques...

Background: Genital warts are a common sexually transmitted disease (STD), and there is no method that completely prevents its recurrence. Recently, zinc has been used in the treatment of cutaneous warts. Nondestructive action, ease of use, and promising results with low chances of relapse were reflected in the treatment. These effects may arise from the immunomodulatory activity of zinc in the event of a viral infection. Objectives: This study was aimed at identifying the relationship between the serum zinc level and the clinical characteristics of patients with genital warts...

Vulvovaginal candidosis (VVC) is a symptomatic vaginal yeast infection, especially caused by Candida spp. Although VVC is common among reproductive-age women, prevalence studies notice the uprise of vaginal Candida colonization to 30% during pregnancy by culture, especially in the last trimester. Recent studies have considered it a severe problem due to the emerging evidence showing the association of VVC with a higher chance of pregnancy-related complexities (e.g., preterm labor, premature rupture of membranes, congenital cutaneous candidosis, and chorioamnionitis)...

Background: Diarrheal disease is a major public health problem among under-five children globally. In Ethiopia, it is the second cause of hospital admission and death among children under five years. Objectives: To assess the prevalence of diarrhea, feeding practice, and associated factors among children under five years in Bereh District, Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfine, Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among children less than 5 years old in Bereh District from May 15 to 29, 2021...

There is a lack of data on the burden of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae among human immunodeficiency virus- (HIV-) infected pregnant women in South Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional study which included 385 HIV-infected pregnant women attending antenatal clinic at the King Edward VIII Hospital in Durban, South Africa. The women provided vaginal swabs which were tested for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae . The prevalence of the individual STIs was as follows: C. trachomatis (47/385, 12...

Background: The epidemiology of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and the pattern of HPV genotype distribution are much-needed parameters to assess the risk of cervical cancer among females. However, due to less availability of data on HPV burden and its genotypes from various geographical regions in India makes cervical cancer screening modalities and vaccination strategies difficult to implement. Objective: The present study was conducted to identify the various genotypes particularly high-risk HPV types in premalignant or malignant cervical lesions...

Introduction: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the world's second most common cause of death, trailing only respiratory tract infections. Because of anatomical and physiological changes along the urinary tract, pregnant women accounted for approximately 20% of all cases of urinary tract infection. Aim: This study sought to assess maternal age and stage of pregnancy as determinants of UTI among pregnant women in Tamale. Methods: This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey as the study design in the antenatal clinic of Tamale Central Hospital (TCH)...

BACKGROUND: Inconsistent findings have been reported for associations between dietary indices and bacterial vaginosis (BV). The aim of this study was to examine the association of dietary glycemic index (DGI), glycemic load (DGL), insulin index (DII), and insulin load (DIL) with BV among Iranian women. METHODS: The current case-control study consisted of 144 new cases of BV and 151 controls. The diagnosis of BV was made based on the Amsel criterion in hospital clinics in Tehran, Iran, from November 2020 until June 2021...