This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The objectives of this research proposal are to delineate the extent of cerebral white matter inflammation and neuronal injury caused by genital mycoplasmas (U. parvum) and to assess the efficacy of maternal antibiotic plus anti-inflammatory therapy in ameliorating fetal brain inflammation and neuronal injury. It is our hypothesis that prenatal treatment of U. parvum intra-amniotic infection (IAI) with specific antibiotics and appropriate anti-inflammatory agents will delay preterm delivery and mitigate fetal origins of neonatal cerebral white matter injury. To facilitate our studies, it is necessary to expand the scope of newborn infant care at the ONPRC by establishing a special care nursery (SCN) that will support postnatal survival of prematurely born rhesus monkeys and specific neurobehavioral assessment protocols to study postnatal neurologic sequelae. With medical direction from collaborating academic neonatologists and ONPRC veterinarians, we developed critical care management plans (i.e., respiratory support, supplemental oxygen, i.v fluids and intakes), as well as standard operating procedures to assure optimal chance of neonatal survival.
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