A clue on premature births

CHICAGO -- Researchers said yesterday they have identified ''biomarkers" created by infections in amniotic fluid that could help lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment of womb infections often to blame for premature births.

In a study of rhesus monkeys, researchers identified so-called biomarkers created by infections of the amniotic fluid. Similar biomarkers were found when examining pregnant women who were giving birth prematurely.

Babies born prematurely are at increased risk of a variety of health problems and early death.

Nearly 12 percent of babies in the United States are born prematurely, and more than half of those premature births are believed to be caused by infections in the amniotic fluid usually discovered too late to be treated with antibiotics, according to the study, which was published in this week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

''Biomarkers for infection were detected in a very short amount of time, within only 12 hours of infection," study coauthor Srinivasa Nagalla of Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, said in a statement. ''The likely outcome of this finding is that a simple test may be developed to detect the presence of these biomarkers, thereby signaling the pregnant woman has an infection that needs treatment."

The study said the testing would be noninvasive and not require insertion of a needle to extract amniotic fluid, as in the genetic testing commonly known as amniocentesis.

In a postscript to the study the authors said they have a significant financial interest in ProteoGenix, a company hoping to develop and market such tests. An independent panel at the university reviewed their research for objectivity.