{ "abstract": "Aerobic bacterial culture positivity in placental basal plate tissue and its associated maternal factors remain poorly described in Uganda. This study estimated the prevalence of culture positivity and identified associated factors among women with spontaneous preterm births at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital. We conducted a hospital-based analytical cross-sectional study among 383 women between 15 May and 15 September 2025. Placental basal plate tissue specimens were collected aseptically immediately after delivery and processed for aerobic bacterial culture. Sociodemographic, obstetric and clinical data were obtained using interviewer-administered questionnaires and medical record review. Associations were examined using multivariable logistic regression and reported as adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Positive cultures were identified in 159 women, giving a prevalence of 41.5% (95% CI: 36.5–46.6). Culture positivity was associated with fever (aOR = 11.32, 95% CI: 4.89–26.19), abdominal pain or uterine tenderness (aOR = 9.13, 95% CI: 4.37–19.08), membrane rupture lasting more than 24 hours (aOR = 5.93, 95% CI: 2.08–16.89), HIV infection (aOR = 4.23, 95% CI: 1.21–14.74), urinary tract infection during pregnancy (aOR = 4.20, 95% CI: 2.13–8.27), foul-smelling vaginal discharge (aOR = 3.22, 95% CI: 1.48–6.97), traditional herb use (aOR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.16–4.13) and no formal education (aOR = 6.97, 95% CI: 1.50–32.46). Earlier gestational age, prolonged labour and primary education were also associated with culture positivity. Positive aerobic placental basal plate cultures were common in this population. These findings support improved recognition and management of maternal infection during antenatal and intrapartum care. However, culture positivity alone cannot distinguish invasive infection from colonization or contamination, and prospective studies are needed to clarify temporal and causal relationships.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kampala International University, Ishaka, Uganda.", "Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kampala International University, Ishaka, Uganda.", "Department of Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.", "Department of Microbiology, Kampala International University, Ishaka, Uganda.", "Department of Foundations, Kampala International University, Ishaka, Uganda." ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 12, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Shem Kasiita" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Marie Pascaline Sabine Ishimwe" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Musa Kasujja" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Theodore Nteziyaremye" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Sara Liban" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Bivako Racheal" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Ronald Kakande" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Innocent Bwire" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "G R Neel" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Sharifa Namutebi" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "Ziraba Abdallah", "orcid": "0009-0006-5534-6780" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Theoneste Hakizimana" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/35rdvfhjy38xk.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.pgph.0007002", "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007002", "id": "35rdvfhjy38xk", "issns": [ "2767-3375" ], "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007002", "language": "eng", "licence": "CC-BY", "licence_label": "CC BY", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "heading", "Abdominal Pain" ], [ "heading", "Anatomy" ], [ "heading", "Biology and Life Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Birth" ], [ "heading", "Clinical Medicine" ], [ "heading", "Developmental Biology" ], [ "heading", "Economic History" ], [ "heading", "Economics" ], [ "heading", "Embryology" ], [ "heading", "Fevers" ], [ "heading", "Genitourinary Infections" ], [ "heading", "Labor History" ], [ "heading", "Labor and Delivery" ], [ "heading", "Maternal Health" ], [ "heading", "Medicine and Health Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Obstetrics and Gynecology" ], [ "heading", "Pain" ], [ "heading", "Placenta" ], [ "heading", "Pregnancy" ], [ "heading", "Pregnancy Complications" ], [ "heading", "Preterm Birth" ], [ "heading", "Reproductive System" ], [ "heading", "Research Article" ], [ "heading", "Signs and Symptoms" ], [ "heading", "Social Sciences" ], [ "heading", "Urinary Tract Infections" ], [ "heading", "Urology" ], [ "heading", "Women's Health" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Reproductive system/Placenta" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Embryology/Placenta" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Reproductive system/Placenta" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Clinical medicine/Signs and symptoms/Fevers" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Clinical medicine/Signs and symptoms/Pain/Abdominal pain" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Urology/Genitourinary infections/Urinary tract infections" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Maternal health/Birth/Labor and delivery" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Maternal health/Birth/Preterm birth" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Maternal health/Pregnancy/Pregnancy complications/Preterm birth" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Obstetrics and gynecology" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Obstetrics and gynecology/Birth/Labor and delivery" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Obstetrics and gynecology/Birth/Preterm birth" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Women's health/Obstetrics and gynecology/Pregnancy/Pregnancy complications/Preterm birth" ], [ "plos", "/Social sciences/Economics/Economic history/Labor history" ] ], "openalex": null, "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007002&type=printable", "pmcid": "PMC13718918", "pmid": "42955915", "published": "2026-10-29", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/35rdvfhjy38xk.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:17Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pgph.0007002", "source": "plos", "url": "https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0007002" }, { "first_seen": "2026-11-01T00:20:36Z", "native_id": "MED:42955915", "source": "europepmc", "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42955915" }, { "first_seen": "2026-11-02T12:22:51Z", "native_id": "PMC13718918", "source": "pmc", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0007002" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biology", "origin": "heading:Developmental Biology", "subfield": "developmental-biology" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "heading:Anatomy", "subfield": "physiology" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "plos:women's health", "subfield": "reproductive-child" } ], "title": "Bacterial culture positivity in placental basal plate tissue and associated factors among women with spontaneous preterm births at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda: A cross-sectional study", "title_text": "Bacterial culture positivity in placental basal plate tissue and associated factors among women with spontaneous preterm births at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, Uganda: A cross-sectional study", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-11-02T12:22:51Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/35rdvfhjy38xk", "venue": "PLOS Global Public Health", "versions": [] }