Risk of mycoplasma sepsis after cesarean section: a case-control study.
- 1Department of Hospital Infection Management, Affiliated Foshan Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, 528000, China.
- 2Department of Hospital Infection Management, Affiliated Foshan Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Guangdong Medical University, Foshan, 528000, China. [email protected].
Abstract
Background
Cesarean section (CS), a widely utilized mode of delivery globally, is associated with elevated risks of bloodstream infections (BSIs). Atypical organisms such as Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum are often overlooked in clinical practice. Despite their potential to cause severe postpartum sepsis, risk factors and clinical course for mycoplasma BSIs remain poorly defined.Methods
Data were collected from 14,454 women who underwent cesarean delivery at Foshan Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Among them, 27 cases developed sepsis caused by mycoplasma infection. For each case, a control group was established using 1:4 matching on age and admission time. A conditional logistic regression model was employed for statistical analysis.Results
A total of 135 participants between January 2024 and August 2025 were included. Multivariate analysis identified preoperative leukocytosis as an independent risk factor for postpartum bloodstream infection, with a significant dose-response relationship (OR = 1.93 per 1 × 10⁹/L increase; 95% CI: 1.31-2.82). A clinically relevant WBC cutoff of 10.5 × 10⁹/L was established, above which the infection risk increased more than eightfold (OR = 8.19; 95% CI: 2.31-29.04). subgroup analysis further indicated that preoperative leukocytosis was strongly associated with Ureaplasma urealyticum infection (OR = 33.66; P = 0.011), but not with Mycoplasma hominis. Several procedural factors also showed elevated though non-significant associations with infection risk.Discussion
Preoperative leukocytosis was significantly associated with Ureaplasma urealyticum bloodstream infection. This readily available marker could aid in identifying high-risk patients prior to cesarean delivery. The findings support considering targeted prophylaxis in such cases, though further validation is needed.
Related
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- Serum Beta-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (β-hCG) Trends and Their Association With Abdominal Wound Healing After Cesarean Section: An Observational Study.
- Risk of extrapyramidal side effects in the newborn after single dose maternal metoclopramide administration prior to cesarean section: an analysis via physiology-based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modeling
- Effects of BeBo® Pelvic Floor Muscle Training with and Without Electromyographic Biofeedback After Vaginal Delivery and Cesarean Section: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- Combined transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and low-level laser photobiomodulation for postoperative pain after cesarean section: A randomized controlled trial
BibTeX
@article{zhao2026risk,
title = {{Risk of mycoplasma sepsis after cesarean section: a case-control study.}},
author = {Wanying Zhao and Yu Shen and Huifen Xiang and Dan Gao and Xianyi Yu and Liling Zhong and Jianning Xie},
journal = {BMC infectious diseases},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12879-026-14099-4},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42919212},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Risk of mycoplasma sepsis after cesarean section: a case-control study.
AU - Wanying Zhao
AU - Yu Shen
AU - Huifen Xiang
AU - Dan Gao
AU - Xianyi Yu
AU - Liling Zhong
AU - Jianning Xie
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - BMC infectious diseases
DO - 10.1186/s12879-026-14099-4
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42919212
AB - Background Cesarean section (CS), a widely utilized mode of delivery globally, is associated with elevated risks of bloodstream infections (BSIs). Atypical organisms such as Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum are often overlooked in clinical practice. Despite their potential to cause severe postpartum sepsis, risk factors and clinical course for mycoplasma BSIs remain poorly defined.Methods Data were collected from 14,454 women who underwent cesarean delivery at Foshan Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Among them, 27 cases developed sepsis caused by mycoplasma infection. For each case, a control group was established using 1:4 matching on age and admission time. A conditional logistic regression model was employed for statistical analysis.Results A total of 135 participants between January 2024 and August 2025 were included. Multivariate analysis identified preoperative leukocytosis as an independent risk factor for postpartum bloodstream infection, with a significant dose-response relationship (OR = 1.93 per 1 × 10⁹/L increase; 95% CI: 1.31-2.82). A clinically relevant WBC cutoff of 10.5 × 10⁹/L was established, above which the infection risk increased more than eightfold (OR = 8.19; 95% CI: 2.31-29.04). subgroup analysis further indicated that preoperative leukocytosis was strongly associated with Ureaplasma urealyticum infection (OR = 33.66; P = 0.011), but not with Mycoplasma hominis. Several procedural factors also showed elevated though non-significant associations with infection risk.Discussion Preoperative leukocytosis was significantly associated with Ureaplasma urealyticum bloodstream infection. This readily available marker could aid in identifying high-risk patients prior to cesarean delivery. The findings support considering targeted prophylaxis in such cases, though further validation is needed.
SN - 1471-2334
ER -