title: Characterization of group B streptococci recovered from infants with invasive disease in England and Wales.
abstract: Group B streptococci (GBS) are a major cause of invasive disease in infants, with enhanced surveillance in England and Wales showing an incidence of 0.74 cases per 1000 live births and a mortality rate of 8%. Among 353 isolates obtained during enhanced surveillance, the predominant serotypes were III (48%), Ia (27%), and V (10%), and the remainder comprised Ib, II, IV, VI, and VII; 3% were not typable. Isolates from patients with early-onset disease had serotypes III (38%), Ia (32%), and V (13%), with late-onset disease having a higher incidence of type III (67%) strains. Patients infected with serotype III strains had a higher rate of meningitis, and those with type V strains had a higher mortality rate. Isolates were susceptible to penicillin and ampicillin, but 4% were resistant to erythromycin, and 91% were resistant to tetracycline. A trivalent vaccine containing capsular polysaccharides III, Ia, and V could theoretically provide coverage against 85% of the cases of GBS disease among infants in England and Wales.
authors.affiliation: Streptococcus and Diphtheria Reference Unit, Respiratory and Systemic Infection Laboratory, Health Protection Agency, Colindale, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Abbie M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Weisner
authors.forename: Alan P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Theresa L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Lamagni
authors.forename: Eve
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: Paul T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.forename: Androulla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Efstratiou
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D012703:Serotyping; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents