title: A quantitative descriptive study of the prevalence of carriage (colonisation) of haemolytic streptococci groups A, B, C and G in pregnancy.
abstract: Invasive group B streptococcus (GBS) disease is a leading cause of neonatal death. There is no UK national screening programme for GBS in pregnancy, hence colonisation rates are unknown. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis is given during labour to colonised women to reduce neonatal GBS transmission and subsequent invasive infection. Data about prevalence of other haemolytic streptococci in pregnancy, including group A streptococcus (GAS), are uncommon despite increasing importance. This study investigated colonisation in 100 pregnant women using conventional culture methods; 19% had GBS. This suggests that GBS carriage is common in the UK. The role of other β-haemolytic streptococci remains undefined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: I A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Onon
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weston
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Isalska
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Afshar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Efstratiou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis; D002353:Carrier State / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003871:Dermatan Sulfate; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / Q000517:prevention & control; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D010614:Pharynx / Q000382:microbiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology; D012703:Serotyping; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D003871:Dermatan Sulfate