Abstract | INTRODUCTION: Several recent studies have identified a potential role for intrauterine Candida albicans in adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth. There is, however, a limited understanding of the impact of intrauterine candida infection on fetal well-being in early pregnancy. Using a sheep model of early pregnancy, the aims of this study were to determine (1) the ability of experimentally induced intrauterine C albicans to infect the fetus and (2) whether C albicans exposure in early pregnancy is associated with alterations in fetal cardiac function, as measured by spectral tissue Doppler imaging analysis of fetal cardiac function. METHODS: Merino ewes carrying singleton pregnancies at 89 days' gestation (term is ∼150 days) received C albicans (n = 8) via ultrasound-guided intra-amniotic injection. Saline-exposed fetuses served as controls (n = 6). Spectral tissue Doppler imaging echocardiography and amniotic fluid collection were performed at baseline and 24 and 72 hours after intrauterine C albicans injection. Fetal tissues were collected at postmortem for analysis of infection and inflammation. RESULTS: CONCLUSION: Intrauterine C albicans infection in a sheep model of early pregnancy causes systemic fetal candidiasis, which is associated with a robust systemic inflammatory response and progressive cardiac dysfunction detectable by spectral tissue Doppler imaging.
|
Authors | Sarah J Stock, Olga Patey, Basky Thilaganathan, Scott White, Lucy L Furfaro, Matthew S Payne, Owen B Spiller, Andres Noé, Rory Watts, Sean Carter, Demelza J Ireland, Alan H Jobe, John P Newnham, Matthew W Kemp |
Journal | Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)
(Reprod Sci)
Vol. 24
Issue 1
Pg. 77-84
(Jan 2017)
ISSN: 1933-7205 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 27217375
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
|