High prevalence of Group B Streptococcus colonization among pregnant women in amman, jordan

Abstract Background Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of invasive neonatal disease in the industrialized world. We aimed to genomically and phenotypically characterise invasive GBS isolates in Slovenia from 2001 to 2018 and contemporary colonising GBS isolates from screening cultures in 2018. Methods GBS isolates from 101 patients (invasive isolates) and 70 pregnant women (colonising isolates) were analysed. Basic clinical characteristics of the patients were collected from medical records. Antimicrobial susceptibility and phenotypic capsular serotype were determined. Whole-genome sequencing was performed to assign multilocus sequence types (STs), clonal complexes (CCs), pathogenicity/virulence factors, including capsular genotypes, and genome-based phylogeny. Results Among invasive neonatal disease patients, 42.6% (n = 43) were females, 41.5% (n = 39/94) were from preterm deliveries (< 37 weeks gestation), and 41.6% (n = 42) had early-onset disease (EOD). All isolates were susceptible to benzylpenicillin with low minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs; ≤0.125 mg/L). Overall, 7 serotypes were identified (Ia, Ib, II-V and VIII); serotype III being the most prevalent (59.6%). Twenty-eight MLST STs were detected that clustered into 6 CCs. CC-17 was the most common CC overall (53.2%), as well as among invasive (67.3%) and non-invasive (32.9%) isolates (p < 0.001). CC-17 was more common among patients with late-onset disease (LOD) (81.4%) compared to EOD (47.6%) (p < 0.001). The prevalence of other CCs was 12.9% (CC-23), 11.1% (CC-12), 10.5% (CC-1), 8.2% (CC-19), and 1.8% (CC-498). Of all isolates, 2.3% were singletons. Conclusions A high prevalence of hypervirulent CC-17 isolates, with low genomic diversity and characteristic profile of pathogenicity/virulence factors, was detected among invasive neonatal and colonising GBS isolates from pregnant women in Slovenia. This is the first genomic characterisation of GBS isolates in Slovenia and provides valuable microbiological and genomic baseline data regarding the invasive and colonising GBS population nationally. Continuous genomic surveillance of GBS infections is crucial to analyse the impact of IND prevention strategies on the population structure of GBS locally, nationally, and internationally.

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High prevalence of Group B Streptococcus colonization among pregnant women in Amman, Jordan

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-019-2317-4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kate Clouse ◽

Asem Shehabi ◽

Abel Mani Suleimat ◽

Samir Faouri ◽

Najwa Khuri-Bulos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Group B Streptococcus ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Group B

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Evaluation of the Results of Group B Streptococcus Screening by MALDI-TOF MS among Pregnant Women in a Hungarian Hospital

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens9010001 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marianna Ábrók ◽

Petra Tigyi ◽

Markus Kostrzewa ◽

Katalin Burián ◽

Judit Deák

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Group B Streptococcus ◽

Premature Delivery ◽

Maldi Tof Ms ◽

Maldi Tof ◽

Increased Risk ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Resistant Strains ◽

Group B ◽

Tof Ms

Pregnant women colonized by Streptococcus agalactiae, or group B streptococcus (GBS), are at an increased risk of premature delivery and stillbirth, and their neonates can be endangered by the development of an invasive GBS disease. In this study, the results of the GBS screening among pregnant women performed between 2012 and 2018 (n = 19267) are presented. For the GBS positive samples, the antibiotic susceptibility of the isolated strains was also tested (n = 3554). During the examined period, the colonization rate varied between 17.4% and 19.8%. The overall rate of erythromycin and clindamycin resistance in the GBS positive samples was 34.9% and 34.6%, respectively. The frequency of the erythromycin and clindamycin resistant strains showed an increasing tendency. An analysis of the MALDI-TOF MS spectra of 260 GBS isolates revealed that 46.5% of them belonged to either the ST-1 or the ST-17 sequence types, indicating a high prevalence of these potentially invasive GBS strains in our region. More than half of the strains identified as ST-1 (52.1%) proved to be resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin.

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High Prevalence of Group B Streptococcus Colonization Among Pregnant Women in Amman, Jordan

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofv133.1180 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Kate Clouse ◽

Asem Shehabi ◽

Abel Mani Suleimat ◽

Samir Faouri ◽

Najwa Khuri-Bulos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Group B Streptococcus ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Group B

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Group B Streptococcus detection in pregnant women: comparison of qPCR assay, culture, and the Xpert GBS rapid test

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-019-2681-0 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Laura L. Vieira ◽

Amanda V. Perez ◽

Monique M. Machado ◽

Michele L. Kayser ◽

Daniela V. Vettori ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Group B Streptococcus ◽

Prophylactic Antibiotic ◽

Rapid Test ◽

Turnaround Time ◽

Detection Methods ◽

High Prevalence ◽

Causative Agents ◽

Prophylactic Antibiotic Therapy ◽

Group B

Abstract Background Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most important causative agents of neonatal sepsis. As administration of prophylactic antibiotics during labor can prevent GBS infection, routine screening for this bacterium in prenatal care before the onset of labor is recommended. However, many women present in labor without having undergone such testing during antenatal care, and the turnaround time of detection methods is insufficient for results to be obtained before delivery. Methods Vaginal and anorectal specimens were collected from 270 pregnant women. Each sample was tested by Xpert GBS, qPCR, and culture for GBS detection. Results The overall prevalence of maternal GBS colonization was 30.7% according to Xpert GBS, 51.1% according to qPCR, and 14.3% according to cultures. Considering the qPCR method as the reference, the Xpert GBS had a sensitivity of 53% and specificity of 93%. Positive Xpert GBS results were correlated to marital status (married or cohabitating) and with prematurity as a cause of neonatal hospitalization. Positive cultures were related with ischemic–hypoxic encephalopathy requiring therapeutic hypothermia. Conclusions Combined enrichment/qPCR and the Xpert GBS rapid test found a high prevalence of GBS colonization. The Xpert GBS technique gives faster results and could be useful for evaluating mothers who present without antenatal GBS screening results and are at risk of preterm labor, thus allowing institution of prophylactic antibiotic therapy.

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Biomarkers for a histological chorioamnionitis diagnosis in pregnant women with or without group B streptococcus infection: a case-control study

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth ◽

10.1186/s12884-021-03731-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Jie Ren ◽

Zhe Qiang ◽

Yuan-yuan Li ◽

Jun-na Zhang

Keyword(s):

Cord Blood ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Group B Streptococcus ◽

Diagnostic Value ◽

Adverse Outcomes ◽

Intercellular Adhesion Molecule ◽

Tnf Α ◽

Group B ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Chorioamnionitis may cause serious perinatal and neonatal adverse outcomes, and group B streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most common bacteria isolated from human chorioamnionitis. The present study analyzed the impact of GBS infection and histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) on pregnancy outcomes and the diagnostic value of various biomarkers. Methods Pregnant women were grouped according to GBS infection and HCA detection. Perinatal and neonatal adverse outcomes were recorded with a follow-up period of 6 weeks. The white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil ratio, and C-reactive protein (CRP) level from peripheral blood and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) levels from cord blood were assessed. Results A total of 371 pregnant women were included. Pregnant women with GBS infection or HCA had a higher risk of pathological jaundice and premature rupture of membranes and higher levels of sICAM-1, IL-8, and TNF-α in umbilical cord blood. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis revealed that sICMA-1, IL-8, TNF-α, WBC, and CRP were significantly related to an increased HCA risk. For all included pregnant women, TNF-α had the largest receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area (area: 0.841; 95% CI: 0.778–0.904) of the biomarkers analyzed. TNF-α still had the largest area under the ROC curve (area: 0.898; 95% CI: 0.814–0.982) for non-GBS-infected pregnant women, who also exhibited a higher neutrophil ratio (area: 0.815; 95% CI: 0.645–0.985) and WBC (area: 0.849; 95% CI: 0.72–0.978), but all biomarkers had lower value in the diagnosis of HCA in GBS-infected pregnant women. Conclusion GBS infection and HCA correlated with several perinatal and neonatal adverse outcomes. TNF-α in cord blood and WBCs in peripheral blood had diagnostic value for HCA in non-GBS-infected pregnant women but not GBS-infected pregnant women.

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Poor Adherence to the Screening-Based Strategy of Group B Streptococcus Despite Colonization of Pregnant Women in Greece

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10040418 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 418

Author(s):

Maria Maroudia Berikopoulou ◽

Aikaterini Pana ◽

Theodota Liakopoulou-Tsitsipi ◽

Nikos F. Vlahos ◽

Vasiliki Papaevangelou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Late Onset ◽

Group B Streptococcus ◽

Culture Collection ◽

Carrier Status ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Screening Guidelines ◽

Group B

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of serious neonatal infections. Maternal GBS colonization is associated with early- and late-onset neonatal disease (EOD/LOD). In Greece, a screening-based strategy is recommended, in which concurrent vaginal-rectal cultures should be obtained between 36 0/7 and 37 6/7 weeks’ gestation. We sought to examine the level of adherence to the GBS screening guidelines and estimate the prevalence of GBS colonization among pregnant women. Although in Greece the screening-based strategy is followed, we also examined known EOD risk factors and linked them to GBS colonization. A cross-sectional study of 604 women postpartum in three hospitals and maternity clinics was conducted. Following written informed consent, data were collected via a short self-completed questionnaire and review of patients’ records. In 34.6% of the enrolled pregnant women, no culture had been taken. Of the remaining, 12.8% had proper vaginal-rectal sample collections. The overall maternal colonization rate was 9.6%. At least one risk factor for EOD was identified in 12.6% of participants. The presence of risk factors was associated with positive cultures (p = 0.014). The rate of culture collection did not differ between women with or without an EOD risk factor. Adherence to a universal screening of pregnant women with vaginal-rectal cultures was poor. Despite probable underestimation of GBS carrier status, almost 1 in 10 participants were GBS positive during pregnancy. Screening of women with risk factors for EOD should, at least, be prioritized to achieve prevention and prompt intervention of EOD.

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