title: Value of a rapid enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for maternal vaginal group B Streptococcus colonization.
abstract: Because group B streptococci maternal colonization is a risk factor for the development of neonatal sepsis, a commercially available rapid test was evaluated for its ability to detect intrapartum maternal colonization. A total of 180 paired vaginal swabs were cultured for group B streptococci and assayed by the Equate test. Of the 15 positive cultures, only 1 was detected by the Equate test, resulting in a sensitivity of 7% and a false-negative rate of 93%. The Equate test detected group B streptococci colonization only at a concentration of > or = 10(7) colony-forming units. These results indicate that the Equate test is not adequately sensitive for screening intrapartum populations for group B streptococci colonization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Schimmel
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Eidelman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rudensky
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isacsohn
mesh_terms: D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis