Intra-amniotic infection is often the cause of a second-trimester abortion. The bacterial
species involved include bacteria with low pathogenicity like Ureaplasma ure-alyticum
and various Mycoplasma species. In this case we describe an intra-amniotic infection
caused by Capnocytophaga sputigena, often found in the normal bacterial flora of the oral cavity, but not in the vagina.
Oral sex during pregnancy was the most probable source of the infection. The aborted
fetus showed signs of pneumonia upon histologic examination. The bacterial species
was identified using broad-spectrum 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) directly
from the amniotic fluid and after bacterial culture. Amniotic fluid glucose was below
detection level, confirming the presence of an intra-amniotic infection.
Capnocytophaga sputigena
- intra-amniotic infection - second-trimester abortion PCR
