Group B streptococcal neonatal infection: clinical review of plans for prevention and preliminary report of quantitative antepartum cultures.
The neonatal and obstetric approaches to preventing group B streptococcal neonatal infections are reviewed. Although recent reports recommend prophylactic antibiotic treatment of antepartum and intrapartum group B streptococcal carriers and low-birth-weight infants, acceptance of these schemes is not widespread. A preliminary study to evaluate the value of semiquantitative vaginal and cervical cultures of antepartum women for group B streptococcus in predicting maternal and neonatal infectious morbidity revealed: 1) 11% of the study population were carriers (group B streptococcus isolated from broth only) but only 2.8% had heavy colonization (growth in broth and on streaked plates), and 2) morbidity associated with 8 heavily colonized mothers during the current pregnancy included group B streptococcal endometritis (1 patient), neonatal sepsis (1), and readmission of a newborn for transient cyanosis (1). Two of the heavily colonized mothers were known carriers in their last pregnancy; 1 had group B streptococcal endometritis and the infant of the second developed clinical sepsis at 2 weeks of age. The clinical value of semiquantitative culture techniques requires additional investigation.
D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002353:Carrier State / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004716:Endometritis / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
D010406:Penicillins; D000667:Ampicillin