Next-generation sequencing-based detection of Ureaplasma in the gastric fluid of neonates with respiratory distress and chorioamnionitis

Figures & data

Figure 1. Relative abundance and cluster analysis of the microbiota in plasma samples. One bar graph represents one plasma sample and shows the relative abundance at which each microorganism is detected. The Bray–Curtis dissimilarity among plasma samples is calculated, and the samples are clustered into two clusters by using the Ward method. The indicator genera of each cluster extracted by the IndVal method are indicated by * and †.

Table 1. Comparison of patient characteristics according to plasma sample group.

	Phormidium group (n = 12)	Toxoplasma group (n = 18)	p-value
Gestational age (weeks)	35.5 (26–41)	31.5 (24–41)	.172
Birth weight (g)	2,100 (791–4,180)	1,498 (516–3,626)	.305
Apgar score (1 min)	8 (1–9)	7 (1–8)	.185
Apgar score (5 min)	8 (5–9)	8 (4–9)	.692
Caesarean section	8 (67%)	14 (78%)	.678
Premature rupture of membrane	4 (33%)	9 (50%)	.465
Maternal antibiotic therapy	11 (92%)	17 (94%)	1.000
Pathological chorioamnionitis	2 (0%, n = 11)	6 (35%, n = 17)	.419
Pathological funisitis	2 (18%, n = 11)	5 (29%, n = 17)	.668
Transient tachypnea of the newborn	6 (50%)	7 (39%)	.711
Respiratory distress syndrome	1 (8%)	6 (33%)	.193
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia	3 (25%)	6 (33%)	.704
Body temperature (°C)	37.1 (36.3–38.2)	37.0 (36.2–37.6)	.573
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	57 (27–85)	56 (33–77)	.518
Heart rate (times/min)	153.5 (133–207)	155 (137–179)	.518
Respiratory rate (cycles/min)	47 (32–89)	48 (19–76)	.884
SpO2 (%)	99 (94–100)	98 (88–100)	.285
White blood cell (/μL)	10,150 (3800–28200)	9500 (3800–36600)	1.000
Neutrophil (/μL)	5400 (500–17,200)	4350 (1,000–30300)	.698
C-reactive protein (mg/dL)	0.01 (0.0–1.0)	0.005 (0.0–0.45)	.819
Blood glucose (mg/dL)	64.5 (28–137)	46.5 (27–156)	.368
Base excess (mEq/L)	−0.4 (−7.3 to 3.8)	−0.95 (−17.2 to 8.0)	1.000
Lactate (mg/dL)	1.8 (0.9–8.5)	1.9 (0.7–11.0)	.692

Note: Continuous and categorical variables are presented as the median (range) or as the number (percentage), respectively. p-values are calculated using the Mann–Whitney U or Fisher’s exact test.

Figure 2. Relative abundance and cluster analysis of the microbiota in gastric fluid samples. The bar graph represents one gastric fluid sample and shows the relative abundance at which each microorganism is detected. The Bray–Curtis dissimilarity among gastric fluid samples is calculated, and the samples are grouped into three clusters by using the Ward method. The indicator genera of each cluster extracted by the IndVal method are indicated by *, †, and ‡.

Table 2. Comparison of patient characteristics according to gastric fluid sample group.

	Ureaplasma group (n = 10)	Nostoc group (n = 8)	Streptococcus group (n = 7)	p-value
Gestational age (weeks)	33 (25–41)	35.5 (26–38)	30 (28–41)	.493
Birth weight (g)	1,734 (672–4180)	2,194 (791–3626)	1,330 (964–2872)	.549
Apgar score (1 min)	7 (1–9)	7.5 (2–8)	7 (1–8)	.860
Apgar score (5 min)	8 (5–9)	8 (4–9)	8 (6–9)	.885
Caesarean section	5 (50%)	7 (88%)	6 (86%)	.207
Premature rupture of membrane	7 (70%)	2 (25%)	1 (14%)	.063
Maternal antibiotic therapy	9 (90%)	8 (100%)	6 (86%)	.733
Pathological chorioamnionitis	6 (60%)	0 (0%, n = 7)	1 (17%, n = 6)	.025
Pathological funisitis	5 (50%)	0 (0%, n = 7)	1 (17%, n = 6)	.054
Transient tachypnea of the newborn	4 (40%)	5 (63%)	2 (29%)	.532
Respiratory distress syndrome	2 (20%)	1 (13%)	3 (43%)	.504
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia	4 (40%)	2 (25%)	2 (29%)	.870
Body temperature (°C)	37.0 (36.3–37.6)	37.3 (36.8–38.2)	36.8 (36.2–37.4)	.061
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	55.5 (33–75)	55 (27–82)	56 (37–77)	.961
Heart rate (times/min)	152.5 (138–179)	156.5 (142–207)	144 (137–166)	.129
Respiratory rate (cycles/min)	43 (30–63)	50 (38–89)	45 (19–68)	.372
SpO2 (%)	99 (94–100)	96.5 (89–100)	96 (88–100)	.134
White blood cell (/μL)	12,500 (3800–36600)	9,450 (3800–28200)	6,300 (4400–20,900)	.284
Neutrophil (/μL)	6,800 (1700–30300)	4,050 (500–17200)	3,000 (1000–13500)	.259
C-reactive protein (mg/dL)	0.005 (0.0–0.3)	0.005 (0.0–1.0)	0.0 (0.0–0.45)	.677
Blood glucose (mg/dL)	59.5 (28–156)	59.5 (27–137)	42 (29–120)	.846
Base excess (mEq/L)	−0.3 (−5.9 to 2.4)	−1.5 (−7.3 to 3.8)	0.6 (−17.0 to 8.0)	.524
Lactate (mg/dL)	1.8 (0.7–2.4)	1.6 (1.1–8.5)	1.5 (0.8–11.0)	.999

Note: Continuous and categorical variables are presented as the median (range) or as the number (percentage), respectively. p-values are calculated using the Kruskal–Wallis or Fisher’s exact test.

Table 3. Comparison of patient characteristics according to the detection of Ureaplasma in gastric fluid samples.

	Ureaplasma group (n = 10)	Non-Ureaplasma group (n = 15)	p-value
Gestational age (weeks)	33 (25–41)	34 (26–41)	.338
Birth weight (g)	1,734 (672–4,180)	1928 (791–3626)	.367
Apgar score (1 min)	7 (1–9)	7 (1–8)	.978
Apgar score (5 min)	8 (5–9)	8 (4–9)	.643
Caesarean section	5 (50%)	13 (87%)	.075
Premature rupture of membrane	7 (70%)	3 (20%)	.034
Maternal antibiotic therapy	9 (90%)	14 (93%)	1.000
Pathological chorioamnionitis	6 (60%)	1 (8%, n = 13)	.019
Pathological funisitis	5 (50%)	1 (8%, n = 13)	.052
Transient tachypnea of the newborn	4 (40%)	7 (47%)	1.000
Respiratory distress syndrome	2 (20%)	4 (27%)	1.000
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia	4 (40%)	4 (27%)	.667
Body temperature (°C)	37.0 (36.3–37.6)	37.2 (36.2–38.2)	.531
Systolic blood pressure (mmHg)	55.5 (33–75)	56 (27–82)	.807
Heart rate (times/min)	152.5 (138–179)	154 (137–207)	.935
Respiratory rate (cycles/min)	43 (30–63)	48 (19–89)	.531
SpO2 (%)	99 (94–100)	96 (88–100)	.055
White blood cell (/μL)	12,500 (3,800–36,600)	8,000 (3,800–28,200)	.129
Neutrophil (/μL)	6,800 (1,700–30,300)	3,500 (500–17,200)	.123
C-reactive protein (mg/dL)	0.005 (0.0–0.3)	0.0 (0.0–1.0)	.605
Blood glucose (mg/dL)	59.5 (28–156)	55 (27–137)	.683
Base excess (mEq/L)	−0.3 (−5.9 to 2.4)	–0.4 (–17.0 to 8.0)	.765
Lactate (mg/dL)	1.8 (0.7–2.4)	1.5 (0.8–11.0)	.978

Note: Continuous and categorical variables are presented as the median (range) or as the number (percentage), respectively. p-values are calculated using the Mann–Whitney U or Fisher’s exact test.

Data availability statement

Full datasets supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Sequencing data generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the DDBJ Sequence Read Archive under experiment number DRR402161-DRR402215.