title: Perinatal group B streptococcal colonization and infection.
abstract: Of 2,169 patients screened in labor for vaginal group B streptococcal colonization, 164 (7.6%) had positive results. Five hundred twenty-four of the patients were screened in the antenatal period, and 57 patients with positive tests for group B streptococcus were treated in labor with intravenous ampicillin. Four of the treatment group gave birth to colonized infants but none became infected. Of the 136 untreated mother-infant pairs with positive tests, 62 neonates were colonized, nine became infected, and three died. In the presence of an attack rate of 6.6% among infants born to colonized mothers, antenatal screening and treatment in labor of mothers colonized with group B streptococcus will reduce neonatal colonization and infection.
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D004423:Ear / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014472:Umbilicus / Q000382:microbiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000667:Ampicillin