group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GBS)

^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Epidemiology

leading cause of morbidity & mortality in newborns in US
10-30% of pregnant women are colonized
colonizes not only the female genital tract but also the GI tract, urethra in both men & women, & upper respiratory tract
may cause infection in pregnant women
may cause infection in non-pregnant adults
elderly, congestive heart failure & bed-ridden state are risk factors

screening:
- pregnant women 2-4 weeks before labor & delivery (35-37 weeks of gestation)
- IDI Strep B assay or culture
treatment:
- 4 hours of antibiotic treatment during labor
- penicillin is drug of choice
  - aminoglycoside is synergistic if organism is sensitive

↑ Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods, 19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA. 1996, pg 1140
↑ Action Report, Medical Board of California, 85:7 (April) 2003
↑ http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/2002/ANS01172.html
↑ eMedicine: Streptococcus Group B Infections http://www.emedicine.com/Med/topic2185.htm
↑ Van Dyke MK et al Evaluation of universal antenatal screening for group B streptococcus. N Engl J Med 2009 Jun 18; 360:2626. PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19535801
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 ARUP Consult: Group B Streptococcal Disease The Physician's Guide to Laboratory Test Selection & Interpretation https://www.arupconsult.com/content/streptococcal-disease-group-b