Pulsed-field fingerprinting of vaginal group B streptococcus in pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
There is more to be learned about the epidemiology of group B beta-hemolytic streptococci infections in pregnancy. In this study, we investigated the discriminating capabilities of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of group B streptococci strains from pregnant patients and mother/infant pairs of patients compared with serotyping.


METHODS
Forty-two vaginal strains of group B streptococci cultured from pregnant patients in the third trimester and strains from 20 mother/infant pairs with documented newborn group B streptococci infection were studied. Isolates were serotyped by the Lancefield capillary precipitin method and molecularly characterized by counterclamped homogeneous electrical field pulsed-field gel electrophoresis with rarely cutting restriction enzymes.


RESULTS
Nine of the 13 serotypes of group B streptococci identified thus far in the scientific literature (Ia, Ia/c, Ib, Ib/c, II, IIc, III, V, and NT/c) were represented among the 62 isolates. Among the 42 maternal isolates, eight serotypes were represented, and among the 20 mother/infant isolates, six serotypes were represented. Serotypes of mother/infant isolates matched in nine of the ten pairs. Restriction endonuclease profiles, or digests, from the 42 maternal isolates resulted in 25 unique profiles that were arranged into five major groups based on the overall relatedness. Each group was comprised of one predominant serotype. The 20 mother/infant paired isolates displayed nine unique restriction endonuclease profiles and nine of the ten paired isolates showed indistinguishable restriction endonuclease profiles between mother and infant.


CONCLUSIONS
Deoxyribonucleic acid profiling using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis is more discriminating of group B streptococci strains than serotyping because of the different yet closely related patterns within each restriction endonuclease profile group that are linked to one specific serotype. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis can refine our epidemiologic studies of group B streptococci transmission and acquisition.
Benson
Kevin D
KD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA.
Luchansky
John B
JB
Elliott
John A
JA
Degnan
Alan J
AJ
Willenberg
Holly J
HJ
Thornbery
James M
JM
Kay
Helen H
HH
D016172:DNA Fingerprinting / Q000379:methods*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012698:Serologic Tests / Q000379:methods*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial