Group B streptococcus (GBS) and neonatal infections: the case for intrapartum chemoprophylaxis.
At the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne over an 8-year period (1981-1988) all public antenatal patients were screened at 32 weeks' gestation for group B streptococcus (GBS). In a total of 30,197 livebirths there were no early onset neonatal GBS infections in infants of treated asymptomatic carrier mothers. By contrast there were 27 infections with 8 deaths in an unscreened control group of private patients (total livebirths 26,915). It is recommended that GBS screening occur antenatally at 28 weeks and that intrapartum chemoprophylaxis be offered at least to those carriers with obstetric risk factors.
Microbiology Department, Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria.
S M
SM
Garland
J R
JR
Fliegner
D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D005260:Female; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D016585:Vaginosis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D014739:Victoria / Q000453:epidemiology