Group B Streptococcal Infections

Group B Streptococcus (GBS), or Streptococcus agalactiae, is a bacterium that can colonize the genital and gastrointestinal tracts of healthy individuals. While GBS is a common commensal bacterium, it can pose risks during pregnancy, particularly for newborns. Pregnant women colonized with GBS may transmit the bacteria to their infants during childbirth, leading to various neonatal infections. One of the primary concerns is early-onset neonatal GBS disease, which manifests within the first week of life. Infants exposed to GBS during delivery may develop pneumonia, sepsis, or meningitis. To prevent early-onset disease, pregnant women are routinely screened for GBS colonization, and those identified as carriers are offered intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis during labor. Late-onset GBS disease can also occur beyond the first week of life and may present as sepsis or meningitis in infants. However, preventive measures for late-onset disease are less straightforward, as they often involve addressing risk factors and promoting general hygiene practices to minimize exposure. Public health initiatives focus on raising awareness about GBS, encouraging prenatal screening, and providing appropriate interventions to reduce the incidence of neonatal infections. Ongoing research explores new strategies for GBS prevention, including the development of vaccines targeting pregnant women to confer protection to both mothers and infants.

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