Group B Streptococcus Infection in Newborns
(NF010)
Introduction
Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a bacteria that is a common cause of infection. Sometimes, however, it is present in certain areas of the body but causes no symptoms or illness. This is referred to as colonization. One out of every five women is colonized with GBS in the gastrointestinal or genitourinary tract.
When a woman who is colonized with GBS is pregnant, the bacteria can be passed on to the infant through aspiration of contaminated amniotic fluid or acquisition of the organism during passage through the birth canal. Infection with GBS may occur in one of several locations in the infant's body.
Pregnancy-associated GBS disease can affect the mother, as well. If the infection spreads upward, it can result in maternal sepsis or even meningitis.
The focus of care in GBS disease has become prevention. The goals of care include detection of at risk pregnancies and intrapartum (during delivery) prophylactic (preventive) treatment with antibiotics.
This MediFocus Guide contains an extensive listing of citations and abstracts of recent journal articles that have been published about this condition in trustworthy medical journals. This is the same type of information that is available to physicians and other health care professionals. A partial selection of journal articles that are abstracted in this MediFocus Guide includes:
Intrapartum antibiotics for group B streptococcal colonisation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews [computer file]. 2000
Antimicrobial prevention of early-onset group B streptococcal sepsis: estimates of risk reduction based on a critical literature review. Pediatrics. 1999
Risk factors for early-onset group B streptococcal sepsis: estimation of odds ratios by critical literature review. Pediatrics. 1999
Prevention of perinatal group B streptococcal infections. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 1999
Group B streptococcus. Lancet. 1999
Prevention of neonatal group B streptococcal infections. Is there a rational prevention strategy?. Clinics in Perinatology. 1998
Group B streptococcal infections. Seminars in Perinatology. 1998
Prevention of neonatal group B streptococcal infection. American Family Physician. 1998
Concepts and controversies in the management of group B streptococcus during pregnancy. Birth. 1998
Prophylaxis for neonatal group B streptococcus infections. Seminars in Perinatology. 1998
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