Occurrence of infection by Bartonella sp. in infertile women and recurrent miscarriages

• Grant number: 23/18312-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira Velho
• Grantee: Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira Velho
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Bartonelloses are neglected diseases caused by gram-negative, fastidious bacteria belonging to the genus Bartonella. These bacteria have a broad capacity to infect mammals and their transmission is often related to vectors. Currently this genus has 45 species and subspecies of which 17 are related to diseases in humans. In studies on the relationship between Bartonella sp. with the reproductive status in animals, it was possible to notice that there was a recurrence of reproductive disorders in animals infected with the bacteria compared to the control group, therefore it is suggested to investigate the occurrence of infection by Bartonella sp. in women who have difficulty getting pregnant and have recurrent miscarriages. To this end, liquid and solid cultures, molecular research and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry will be carried out on blood samples from women with repeated miscarriages and pregnant women with at least one child and no history of miscarriage. (AU)