Characterization of a Group B Streptococcus infection based on the demographics, serotypes, antimicrobial susceptibility and genotypes of selected isolates from sterile and non-sterile isolation sites in three major hospitals in Malaysia.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to characterize GBS isolates that were collected from three major hospitals in a densely populated area of Klang Valley for their demographics, serotypes, antibiotic susceptibility patterns and genetic background.


METHODS
Sixty GBS isolates from sterile and non-sterile samples in three major hospitals in the Klang Valley area of Malaysia were collected by convenience sampling from 2012 until March 2014. These isolates were studied for their antimicrobial susceptibilities, serotypes and genotypes. Patients' demographic data and clinical information were collected from lab request forms.


RESULTS
Diabetes mellitus was the only underlying condition (7 patients, 23.3%); the remaining samples were from patients who were immunocompromised due to medications. Fifty-nine (98%) isolates were sensitive to penicillin, while 78.3% and 88.3% of the isolates were sensitive to erythromycin and clindamycin, respectively. Serotype Ia was the most common serotype (n=27, 45%), followed by serotype III (n=10, 16.7%), V (n=9, 15%), VI (n=8, 13.3%), VIII (n=2, 3.3%) and VII (n=1, 1.7%). Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) typing showed a diverse genetic pedigree for all isolates, including four major groups that clustered according to geographical location.


CONCLUSIONS
This preliminary study determines the prevalence of limited common serotypes and antimicrobial resistance in distinct GBS isolates. Nonetheless, the RAPD clustering pattern suggests a close genetic lineage of the GBS isolates based on their isolation sites and location of hospitals.
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
Mohd E S
MES
Suhaimi
Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
Mohd N M
MNM
Desa
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
Narges
N
Eskandarian
Department of Pathology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Stella G
SG
Pillay
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Zalina
Z
Ismail
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
Vasantha K
VK
Neela
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia.
Siti N
SN
Masri
Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia. Electronic address: syafinaz@upm.edu.my.
Syafinaz A
SA
Nordin
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003710:Demography; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D016867:Immunocompromised Host; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D019105:Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Technique; D012307:Risk Factors; D065288:Serogroup; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055815:Young Adult
Group B Streptococcus; Resistant; Serotype