Distribution by Serological Type of Group B Streptococci Isolated from a Variety of Clinical Material over a Five-Year Period (with Special Reference to Neonatal Sepsis and Meningitis)

Abstract

A total of 898 group B streptococci isolated from a wide variety of human clinical sources from July 1967 through June 1972 were typed by the Lancefield precipitin test. Only 11% of the strains were nontypable. Twenty-six percent of' the group B strains were from respiratory sources, 22%/; were from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, 13% were from the female genital tract, 12% were urine specimens, and the remaining 27% were from other varied sources. The clinical conditions reported for patients from whom these organisms were isolated included neonatal meningitis and sepsis, pharyngitis, urinary tract and female genital tract inf'ections, and various skin and wound infections. Seventy percent of the CSF and blood cultures from patients with meningitis or sepsis, or both, were type III, whereas the overall percentage of' this type was 32%c. All but three CSF isolates were f'rom patients under 2 years of age; the distribution of' CSF isolates appeared to be the same for both sexes. In contrast, group B streptococci were isolated more frequently from the blood of males than from the blood of females. There were twice as many blood cultures from patients under 2 years of age than from those that were older.

The Prevalence and Persistence of Group B Streptococcal Colonization Among Hospital Personnel

“…Organisms capable of hydrolyzing sodium hippurate were reported as presumptive group B streptococci. These isolates were then transferred onto rabbit blood agar slants and sent to the Streptococcus Laboratory at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta for serotyping according to methods described previously (17).…”

“…An alarming increase in the rate of hemolytic group B streptococcal infections among neonates has been reported in the last several years (12). These organisms now cause more than 50% of lateonset neonatal meningitis (17) and a sizable proportion of early-onset neonatal sepsis and respiratory distress. It is well known that group B streptococci are frequently carried in the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of adults.…”

An empirical Bayes method for serotype case-carrier ratios, with an application to Group B streptococcus

“…Applying this method to data from a systematic review of GBS carriage and disease, our analysis confirms longstanding clinical insight that GBS serotypes III and Ia pose the greatest risk of neonatal disease when carried by mothers, and that neonatal invasive infections caused by serotype III are the most likely to present as meningitis. [17][18][19] Because this evidence preceded discovery of now-prevalent serotypes, the risks of serotype replacement under differing vaccine formulations have to date been uncertain. 7 The enhanced association of serotypes III and Ia with invasive potential in the later neonatal period underscores the potential for GBS vaccination to reduce the burden of LOD, which cannot be prevented by screening-based intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis.…”

“…15,16 While historical data suggest enhanced invasiveness of GBS serotype III relative to serotypes Ia, Ib, and II, these studies pre-date the emergence or discovery of serotypes IV-IX and nontypeable GBS (NT-GBS) lineages, and are of limited size, statistical rigor, and geographic scope. [17][18][19] Thus, quantifications of the relative pathogenicity of GBS serotypes are necessary to assess the potential impact of anticapsular vaccine candidates.…”

Complete And Incomplete Ibc Protein Fraction in Group B Streptococci

“…On immunodiffusion the Ibc protein preparation produced two precipitation lines against antisera (6). Probably all type Ib strains and some type I1 and type 111 strains possess the protein antigen (2, 4, 7,8). Strains that produce both the carbohydrate antigen Ia and the Ibc protein are currently classified as serotype Ic (5, 6,9).…”