TRANSMISSION OF CANDIDA
INFECTIONS FROM MOTHER TO INFANT IN NATAL, POSTNATAL PERIODS
Gulen F.¹, Egemen A.¹, Hilmioglu S.², Aydemir
S.², Tumbay E.²
1: Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of
Pediatrics, Izmir
2: Ege University Faculty of Medicine Department of
Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Izmir, Turkey
The pH is low in vaginal mucous membrane in pregnancy
and oral mucosa of baby soon after delivery and is suitable for Candidal
overgrowth. Before the oral bacterial flora exist, the Candida coming from
mother’s vagina colonized in all over the oral mucosa and sometimes the
lesions spread through the larynx and eosophagus and impair the feeding of
baby and cause the severe can didiasis
The aim of this study was to determine the rate of
Candida infections in pregnants and whose babies in natal and postnatal
periods and also to investigate the relation between the Candida infections
of mothers and babies.
130 pregnant woman and her babies who was born by
vaginal delivery were entered to study. Oral, rectal, vaginal and nipple
cultures from pregnant before delivery and oral, rectal cultures from baby
before oro-nasal aspiration were taken. After delivery 10 th day and at
first month nipple culture from mother and oral, rectal cultures from baby
were repeated.There were 7.7 %, 6.9 % and 2.3 % fungal grown in oral,
rectal and nipple cultures of pregnant respectively. However this
positivity was risen to 46.2 % in vaginal cultures. There were 4.6 % and
5.4 % fungal grown in oral and rectal cultures of baby in delivery. There
were strong correlation in delivery between fungal infection in mothers and
their babies. 50.8 % and 33.1 % of babies had fungal culture positivity in
oral and rectal specimens respectively at 10 th day after delivery and 34.6
% of mothers had nipple infection. 33,1 % and 24,6 % of babies had fungal
culture positivity in oral and rectal specimens respectively at one month
after delivery and 24,6 % of mothers had nipple infection. Fungal culture
positivity was more common in babies whose mothers had nipple Candidiasis
at first control after delivery. There were also same findings at second
control of babies and their mothers.
Candidiasis is common between pregnant woman’s and it
rises the risk of Candidal infection in babies who was born by vaginal
delivery. So, the pregnants should be evaluated for Candidiasis and should
be treated prenatally if it is needed.