Approximately 21% of women carry Group B streptococcus¹
The incidence of neonatal infection is 0.5/1000 live births, rising to 2.3/1000 in infants born to colonised mothers (0.9/1000 when colonisation present in a previous pregnancy)¹
Infection carries a mortality of 10%² with half of all survivors suffering neurodisability
Infection may occur early (less than 7 days) or late (after 7 days) but prevention of infection remains controversial
Infants are most at risk of infection if: they are premature, if the mother is colonised with Group B strep or has previously had a child with Group B strep infection, there is evidence of maternal infection (pyrexia or elevated CRP), there is prolonged rupture of membranes or evidence of fetal distress
Signs of infection include respiratory distress, temperature instability, hypoglycaemia and seizures
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References
- RCOG (2012) The Prevention of Early-onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Disease
- Corvec S, Illiaquer M, Touchais S, et al. Bone and Joint Infection Study Group, authors. Clinical features of group B Streptococcus prosthetic joint infections and molecular characterization of isolates. J Clin Microbiol. 2011;49:380–382.