Ureaplasma urealyticum
Encyclopedia
Ureaplasma urealyticum is a bacterium belonging to the family Mycoplasmataceae
. Its type strain is T960.
of both men and women. It is found in about 70% of sexually active humans.
It had also been described to be associated with a number of diseases in humans, including non-specific urethritis (NSU), infertility
, chorioamnionitis
, stillbirth
, premature birth
, and, in the perinatal period, pneumonia
, bronchopulmonary dysplasia
and meningitis
.
However, given the relatively low pathogenicity of the organism its role in some of these diseases remains contentious.
U. urealyticum has been noted as one of the infectious causes of sterile pyuria.
ranging between 0.76–1.17 Mbp, and cholesterol is required for growth. A defining characteristic of the genus is that they perform urea
hydrolysis.
It is now recommended that some strains originally classified as Ureaplasma urealyticum should be treated as a new species, U. parvum.
is the drug of choice; streptomycin
is an alternative but is less popular because it must be injected. Penicillins are ineffective — U. urealyticum doesn't have a cell wall
, which is the drug's main target.
Mycoplasmataceae
The Mycoplasmataceae is a family of bacteria in the order Mycoplasmatales. This family comprises the species Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma.In 1967 the Order Mycoplasmatales was incorporated into the class Mollicutes....
. Its type strain is T960.
Clinical significance
U. urealyticum is part of the normal genital floraFlora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
of both men and women. It is found in about 70% of sexually active humans.
It had also been described to be associated with a number of diseases in humans, including non-specific urethritis (NSU), infertility
Infertility
Infertility primarily refers to the biological inability of a person to contribute to conception. Infertility may also refer to the state of a woman who is unable to carry a pregnancy to full term...
, chorioamnionitis
Chorioamnionitis
Chorioamnionitis is an inflammation of the fetal membranes due to a bacterial infection. It typically results from bacteria ascending into the uterus from the vagina and is most often associated with prolonged labour...
, stillbirth
Stillbirth
A stillbirth occurs when a fetus has died in the uterus. The Australian definition specifies that fetal death is termed a stillbirth after 20 weeks gestation or the fetus weighs more than . Once the fetus has died the mother still has contractions and remains undelivered. The term is often used in...
, premature birth
Premature birth
In humans preterm birth refers to the birth of a baby of less than 37 weeks gestational age. The cause for preterm birth is in many situations elusive and unknown; many factors appear to be associated with the development of preterm birth, making the reduction of preterm birth a challenging...
, and, in the perinatal period, pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a chronic lung disorder that is most common among children who were born prematurely, with low birthweights and who received prolonged mechanical ventilation to treat respiratory distress syndrome...
and meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
.
However, given the relatively low pathogenicity of the organism its role in some of these diseases remains contentious.
U. urealyticum has been noted as one of the infectious causes of sterile pyuria.
Classification
There are six recognised Ureaplasma species, They have a GC content of 27–30%, and a genome sizeGenome size
Genome size is the total amount of DNA contained within one copy of a single genome. It is typically measured in terms of mass in picograms or less frequently in Daltons or as the total number of nucleotide base pairs typically in megabases . One picogram equals 978 megabases...
ranging between 0.76–1.17 Mbp, and cholesterol is required for growth. A defining characteristic of the genus is that they perform urea
Urea
Urea or carbamide is an organic compound with the chemical formula CO2. The molecule has two —NH2 groups joined by a carbonyl functional group....
hydrolysis.
It is now recommended that some strains originally classified as Ureaplasma urealyticum should be treated as a new species, U. parvum.
Treatment
DoxycyclineDoxycycline
Doxycycline INN is a member of the tetracycline antibiotics group, and is commonly used to treat a variety of infections. Doxycycline is a semisynthetic tetracycline invented and clinically developed in the early 1960s by Pfizer Inc. and marketed under the brand name Vibramycin. Vibramycin...
is the drug of choice; streptomycin
Streptomycin
Streptomycin is an antibiotic drug, the first of a class of drugs called aminoglycosides to be discovered, and was the first antibiotic remedy for tuberculosis. It is derived from the actinobacterium Streptomyces griseus. Streptomycin is a bactericidal antibiotic. Streptomycin cannot be given...
is an alternative but is less popular because it must be injected. Penicillins are ineffective — U. urealyticum doesn't have a cell wall
Cell wall
The cell wall is the tough, usually flexible but sometimes fairly rigid layer that surrounds some types of cells. It is located outside the cell membrane and provides these cells with structural support and protection, and also acts as a filtering mechanism. A major function of the cell wall is to...
, which is the drug's main target.