Abstract
ObjectivesTo study Group B Streptococcus (GBS) isolates associated with different clinical syndromes: asymptomatic carriage in pregnant women, intrauterine fetal death (IUFD), and early onset disease (EOD) in the newborn.MethodsGBS isolates were collected from asymptomatic pregnant women admitted for labor, IUFD cases, and neonates with EOD. Serotypes and antibiotic susceptibilities were determined. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was performed to assess genetic epidemiology.ResultsGBS carriage rate was 26.1% (280/1074). The dominant serotype among asymptomatic pregnant women was VI [98/240 women (40.8%)], followed by serotypes III, V and IV in 42/240 (17.5%), 30/240 (12.5%) and 28/240 (11.7%) women, respectively. The dominant serotype in IUFD cases was serotype VI [10/13 (76.9%)]. In contrast the prevalent serotype among EOD cases was III [16/19 (84.2%)]. ST-1 was associated with IUFD [7/13 (53.8%)], ST-17 was associated with serotype III and EOD in the newborn 14/19 (73.7%)]. Erythromycin and clindamycin resistance reached 36.8%, 7.7% and 20.0%among EOD, vaginal carriage and IUFD, respectively.ConclusionsSerotypes VI and ST-1 were dominant among asymptomatic pregnant women and in IUFD cases while EOD was associated with serotype III and ST-17. Invasive mechanisms thus may differ between IUFD and EOD in the newborn and virulence may be related to capsule serotype. Resistance rates to erythromycin and clindamycin were high in EOD cases.
Highlights
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis as well as amnionitis and sepsis [1, 2]
sequence types (STs)-1 was associated with intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) [7/13 (53.8%)], ST-17 was associated with serotype III and earlyonset disease (EOD) in the newborn 14/19 (73.7%)]
Serotypes VI and ST-1 were dominant among asymptomatic pregnant women and in IUFD cases while EOD was associated with serotype III and ST-17
Summary
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis as well as amnionitis and sepsis [1, 2]. Two GBS-associated syndromes are described in neonates: earlyonset disease (EOD) which is responsible for 40% of cases, and late-onset disease (LOD) associated with 60% of cases. EOD occurs in the first week of life (0–6 days) and is associated mainly with bacteremia [2, 3]. LOD occurs after the first week of life and up to the age of 3 months and is characterized by a high rate of meningitis [2, 3]. LOD is not necessarily associated with GBS carriage in the mother, and is not attenuated by preventive strategies such as screening and antibiotic treatment of the pregnant mother. 10% of the infected babies die from GBS infection and 20% of survivors suffer permanent handicap
Published Version (Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have