Source of group B streptococci in the female genital tract.
Swabs were taken from the posterior fornix, perineum, and anorectum of 135 patients on three occasions during their pregnancy. Multiple isolates of beta-haemolytic streptococci of group B were obtained from 24 women, in 21 of whom the strains were examined by a highly discriminative serotyping and phage typing method. In 18 of these patients their own isolates were indistinguishable but different from those of other women with multiple isolates. Women yielding group B streptococci from the posterior fornix usually carried an indistinguishable strain in the anorectum.
D001003:Anal Canal / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D010502:Perineum / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology