Vaginal-rectal colonization with group A streptococci in late pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the vaginal-rectal colonization rate with group A streptococci in late pregnancy.


METHODS
All patients delivering at a northern New England hospital over a 38 month period had 35-37 week vaginal-rectal swabs cultured for group A and group B streptococci, using selective media and slide agglutination.


RESULTS
Six thousand nine hundred forty-four screening cultures were obtained. Among these 1,393 were positive for group B streptococci and 2 for group A streptococci, yielding colonization rates of 20.1% and 0.03%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Vaginal-rectal colonization with group A streptococci is rare, arguing against the need for establishing group A streptococcal screening programs in pregnancy. An approach for managing this uncommon finding is presented.
Mead
P B
PB
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington 05401, USA. phil.mead@vtmednet.org
Winn
W C
WC
D000371:Agglutination; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*