title: Evaluation in rural practice of a rapid group B streptococcus screening test.
abstract: Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of infant mortality from infection. A rapid screening immunoassay for GBS was evaluated in a rural obstetrical population and was found to have an unacceptably low specificity (90%) and sensitivity (50%). With a culture proven GBS colonization rate of 6.8%, the positive predictive value of the rapid screening test was only 27%, and the negative predictive value was 96%. Current recommendations for routine vaginal cultures, on all women based on urban research data with high maternal colonization rates (15%-23%) and high prematurity rates (15%-40%) are reviewed in relation to this community's low colonization and prematurity rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of South Dakota School of Medicine, Sioux Falls.
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Yawn
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Yawn
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henning
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012423:Rural Health; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification