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Early neonatal streptococcal infection

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Abstract

Objective

To determine the incidence of early onset Group B Streptococcal (GBS) infection in infants born over a two year period and to determine the outcome of sepsis evaluation in infants born to mothers with GBS colonization.

Methods

The charts of infants born to mothers with GBS colonization were reviewed for details of sepsis evaluation and management. The microbiology records were used to identify proven cases of GBS septicemia and meningitis in neonates born during the study period.

Results

Out of a total of 4636 live births in 2 years, there was one infant with culture-proven GBS septicemia, an incidence of 0.2 per 1000 live births. During the study period 83 infants were born to mothers who were known to have GBS carriage at the time of delivery. 73 out of these 83 infants (88%) had sepsis evaluation and received empirical parenteral penicillin for at least 5 days. There were no cases of blood culture-proven GBS sepsis among these 83 infants. However, there were 2 cases of probable sepsis giving an attack rate of 2.4%. All the three infants with definite or probable sepsis were preterm; there were no deaths among these affected infants.

Conclusion

The overall incidence of early onset GBS sepsis was found to be low when compared to previous reported studies. The strategy of sepsis evaluation and management was found to be effective in preventing death and definite GBS septicemia in infants born to GBS colonized mothers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, National University Hospital, 5, Lower Kent Ridge Road, 110094, Singapore

    Krishnamoorthy Niduvaje & Chinnadurai Amutha

  2. Department of Pediatrics, National University of Singapore, 5, Lower Kent Ridge Road, 110094, Singapore

    Joseph Roy

Authors
  1. Krishnamoorthy Niduvaje
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  2. Chinnadurai Amutha
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  3. Joseph Roy
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Krishnamoorthy Niduvaje.

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Niduvaje, K., Amutha, C. & Roy, J. Early neonatal streptococcal infection. Indian J Pediatr 73, 573–576 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02759920

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