title: Carriage rate of group B streptococci in pregnant women in three teaching hospitals in Shiraz, Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The main goal of this study was to assess differences in the vaginal flora of pregnant women and provide a detailed evaluation of vaginal swabs for the presence of group B streptococcus (GBS) and other organisms in three teaching hospitals in Shiraz, southwest of Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study from April 2006 to March 2007, 310 women with vaginal delivery at three obstetric wards of teaching hospitals in Shiraz were studied. Swab specimens from the vagina and rectum were collected and were examined bacteriologically. All of the newborns were followed up for 3 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 310 pregnant women, 43 (13.8%) were colonized with GBS. There were no differences between GBS carriers and GBS-negative women in risk factors like preterm rupture of membranes (p = 0.77) and preterm labor (p = 0.53). One neonate was hospitalized due to meningitis and GBS was detected in CSF culture and Gram staining.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data showed that the prevalence of GBS carriage rate in pregnant women in Shiraz, Iran was high. The poor correlation between risk factors and GBS carriage requires further investigation in larger groups.
authors: Department of Biology, School of Science, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
authors: Parvin
authors: P
authors: Hassanzadeh
authors: Mohammad
authors: M
authors: Motamedifar
authors: Maral Namdari
authors: MN
authors: Gharaghani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002353:Carrier State / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology; D014626:Vaginal Smears; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents