Abstract
Introduction
Streptococcus agalactiae, also known as Group B Streptococcus (GBS), is a formidable pathogen that is commonly responsible for early-onset and late-onset infections with high morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period. Since this organism is usually acquired via the mother’s birth canal during labor, this study investigated the maternal carriage rate, mother-to-baby transmission rate, and the common GBS serotypes found among expectant mothers and their babies in Kuwait.
Methods
The setting was the Maternity Hospital, Kuwait. Low vaginal-anorectal swabs (LVRS) and urine specimens were collected from 847 pregnant women during labor. Ear and umbilical swabs from their new-born babies were also collected. Each specimen was cultured on selective Todd–Hewitt media. Isolates were identified and serotyped by established methods.
Results
Of the 847 mothers, 124 (14.6%) were colonized and 74 (8.7%) babies were colonized, mainly at the umbilicus. The 124 GBS-positive mothers gave birth to 44 babies that were colonized by GBS at one or both sites, which corresponds to a mother-to-baby transmission rate of (35.5%). A total of 193 isolates were serotyped. The majority of the GBS isolates belonged to serotypes III (47; 24.3%), V (42; 21.8%), Ia (25; 12.9%), II and VI (15; 7.8%) each, and VII (11; 5.7%). Only 4 (2.1%) and 1 (0.5%) isolates belonged to serotypes Ib and IV respectively. No isolate belonged to serotype VIII and 33 (17.1%) were non-typable (NT).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aitmhand R, Moustaoui N, Belabbes H, Elmadghari N, Benbachir M (2000) Serotypes and antimicrobial susceptibility of group B streptococcus isolated from neonates in Casblanca. Scand J Infect Dis 32:339–340
Al-Sweih N, Maiyegun S, Diejomaoh M, Rotimi VO, Khodakhast F, Hassan N, Baig S, George S (2004) Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B streptococci) carriage in late pregnancy in Kuwait. Med Princ Pract 13:10–14
Artz LA, Kempf VAJ, Autenrieth IB (2003) Rapid screening for Streptococcus agalactiae in vaginal specimens of pregnant women by fluorescent in situ hybridization. J Clin Microbiol 41:2170–2173
Baker CJ, Barrett FF (1973) Transmission of group B streptococci among parturient women and their neonates. J Pediatr 83:919–924
Baker CJ, Barrett FF (1974) Group B streptococcal infections in infants: the importance of the various serotypes. JAMA 230:1158–1160
Banjo TA, Rotimi VO, Abudu OO (1988) Colonization of pregnant mothers and their babies by group B streptococci. West Afr J Med 7:91–96
Blumberg HM, Stephens DS, Mondansky M (1996) Invasive group B streptococcal disease: the emergence of serotype V. J Infect Dis 173:365–373
Dillon HC, Gray E, Pass MA, Gray BM (1982) Anorectal and vaginal carriage of group B streptococci during pregnancy. J Infect Dis 145:794–799
El-Kersh TA, Al-Nuaim LA, Kharfy TA, Al-Shammary FJ, Al-Saleh SS, Al-Zamel FA (2002) Detection of genital colonization of group B streptococci during late pregnancy. Saudi Med J 23:56–61
Glantz JC, Kedley KE (1998) Concepts and controversies in the management of group B streptococcus during pregnancy. Birth 25:45–53
Hammoud MS, Thalib L, Maiyegun SO (2002) The epidemiology of group B streptococcal colonization among obstetrical and newborn populations in Kuwait. Int J Gynecol Obstet 76:315–316
Harrison LH, Dwyer DM, Johnson JA (1995) Emergence of serotype group B streptococcal infection among infants and adults. J Infect Dis 171:513
Hickman ME, Rench MA, Ferrieri P, Baker CJ (1999) Changing epidemiology of group B streptococcal colonization. Pediatr 104:203–209
Jaureguy F, Carton M, Teboul J, Butel MJ, Panel P, Chnassia JC, Docet- Popularie F (2003) Risk factors and screening strategy for group B streptococcal colonization in pregnant women: results of a prospective study. J Gynecol Obstet Biol Reprod 32:132–138
Jelinkova J (1997) Group B streptococci in human population. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 76:127–165
Kasper DL, Paoletti LC, Wessels MR (1996) Immune response to type III group B streptococcal polysaccharide–tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine. J Clin Invest 98:2308–2314
Kelgerman ME, Boyer KM, Papierniak CK (1993) Estimation of protective levels of human IgG antibody to the type specific polysaccharide of group B streptococcus type Ia. J Infect Dis 148:648–655
Kogan G, Uhrin D, Brisson JR (1998) Structural and immunological characterization of the type VIII group B streptococcus capsular polysaccharide. J Biol Chem 271:8786–8790
Lachenauer CS, Kasper DL, Shimada J, Ichiman Y, Ohtsuka H, Kaku M, Paoletti LC, Ferrier P, Madoff LC (1999) Serotypes VI and VIII predominate among group B streptococci isolated from pregnant Japanese women. J Infect Dis 179:1030–1033
Matsubara K, Sugiyama M, Hoshina K, Mikamo H, Baba K (2000) Early-onset neonatal sepsis caused by serotype VIII group streptococci. Pediatr Infect Dis J 19:395–360
Minkoff H, Sierra MF, Peingle RG (1982) Vaginal colonization with group B ß-hemolytic streptococcus as risk factor for post-cesarean section febrile morbidity. Am J Obstet Gynecol 142:992–995
Paoletti LJ, Brabford J, Paoletti C (1999) A serotype VIII strain among colonizing group B streptococcal isolates in Boston, Massachusetts. J Clin Microbiol 37:3759–3760
Platt MW, Gilson GJ (1994) Group B streptococcal disease in the perinatal period. Am Fam Physician 49:434–442
Regan JA, Klebanoff MA, Nugent RP (1991) The epidemiology of group B streptococcal colonization in pregnancy. Vaginal infections and prematurity study group. Obstet Gynecol 77:604–610
Schuchat A (1998) Epidemiology of group B streptococcal disease in the United States: shifting paradigms. Clin Microbiol Rev 11:497–513
Trijbels-Smeulders MAJM, Adriaanse AH, Gerards LJ, Kimpen LL (2003) Strategy to prevent neonatal early-onset group B streptococcal (GBS) disease in the Netherlands. Rev Med Microbiol 14:35–39
Weisman LE, Stoll BJ, Cruess DF, Hall RT, Merenstein GB, Hemming VG (1992) Early onset group B streptococcal sepsis: a current assessment. J Pediatr 121:428–433
Wilkinson HW (1978) Analysis of group B streptococcal types associated with disease in human infants and adults. J Clin Microbiol 7:176–179
Wilkinson HW, Thacker LG, Facklam RR (1973) Non-hemolytic group B streptococci of human, bovine and ichthyic origin. Infect Immun 7:496–498
Yancey MK, Duff P, Clark P, Kurtzer T, Frentzen BH, Kubilis P (1994) Peripartum infection associated with vaginal group B streptococcal colonization. Obstet Gynecol 84:816–819
Zangwill KM, Schunchat A, Wegner JD (1992) Group B streptococcal disease in the United States, 1990: report from a multi-state active surveillance system. MMWR CDC Surveill Summ 41:25–32
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Al-Sweih, N., Hammoud, M., Al-Shimmiri, M. et al. Serotype distribution and mother-to-baby transmission rate of Streptococcus agalactiae among expectant mothers in Kuwait. Arch Gynecol Obstet 272, 131–135 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-004-0705-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-004-0705-z