1. Fetal Loss and Preterm Birth Caused by Intraamniotic Haemophilus influenzae Infection, New Zealand
- Author
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Thomas Hills, Caitlin Sharpe, Thomas Wong, Tim Cutfield, Arier Lee, Stephen McBride, Matthew Rogers, May Ching Soh, Amanda Taylor, Susan Taylor, and Mark Thomas
- Subjects
Haemophilus influenzae ,bacteria ,intraamniotic ,infection ,fetal loss ,preterm birth ,Medicine ,Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 - Abstract
Invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection during pregnancy can cause preterm birth and fetal loss, but the mechanism is unclear. We investigated 54 cases of pregnancy-associated invasive H. influenzae disease in 52 unique pregnancies in the Auckland region of New Zealand during October 1, 2008‒September 30, 2018. Intraamniotic infection was identified in 36 (66.7%) of 54 cases. Outcome data were available for 48 pregnancies. Adverse pregnancy outcomes, defined as fetal loss, preterm birth, or the birth of an infant requiring intensive/special care unit admission, occurred in 45 (93.8%) of 48 (pregnancies. Fetal loss occurred in 17 (35.4%) of 48 pregnancies, before 24 weeks’ gestation in 13 cases, and at >24 weeks’ gestation in 4 cases. The overall incidence of pregnancy-associated invasive H. influenzae disease was 19.9 cases/100,000 births, which exceeded the reported incidence of pregnancy-associated listeriosis in New Zealand. We also observed higher rates in younger women and women of Māori ethnicity.
- Published
- 2022
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