title: Isolation and anti-microbial susceptibility pattern of group B Streptococcus among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Ayder Referral Hospital and Mekelle Health Center, Mekelle, Northern Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vaginal colonization with group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the predominant risk factor for the development of invasive neonatal GBS diseases and puts newborns at increased risk for morbidity and mortality. This study is aimed to determine the colonization rate and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of group B Streptococcus among pregnant women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted from August to December 2014 at selected health facilities. A total of 139 antenatal clinics attendees, proportionally allocated, were recruited consecutively. Socio-demographic and clinical factors were collected using a structured questionnaire. Vaginal swabs were collected and cultured on Todd Hewitt broth and in 5 % sheep blood agar. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was done using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's Chi square test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 139, 19 (13.7 %) were positive for GBS. All the GBS isolates were susceptible (100 %) to penicillin G, vancomycin, ampicillin, erythromycin and gentamicin. Two of the GBS isolates showed multidrug resistance against norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. No statistically significant difference was observed for GBS colonization with any independent variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vaginal colonization of GBS for the present study put emphasis on further investigation and accomplishment of routine GBS screening practices. The recovery of resistant strains to antimicrobial agents recommended in cases of penicillin allergic mothers indicates the importance of susceptibility test.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. gebrish88@gmail.com.|Microbiology Department, Lemlem Karl Hospital, Maichew, Ethiopia. gebrish88@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gebreselassie
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alemseged
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. selamniguse@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Selam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Niguse
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. habtkinf19@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Haftamu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hailekiros
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. muheab2008@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mehamud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdulkadir
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. bioinfosaran@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Muthupandian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saravanan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Science, College of Health Sciences, Mekelle University, 1871, Mekelle, Ethiopia. tsehaye.asmelash@mu.edu.et.
authors.forename: Tsehaye
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asmelash
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003710:Demography; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008427:Maternal Health Services; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents