Isolation and anti-microbial susceptibility pattern of group B Streptococcus among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Ayder Referral Hospital and Mekelle Health Center, Mekelle, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

BackgroundVaginal colonization with group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the predominant risk factor for the development of invasive neonatal GBS diseases and puts newborns at increased risk for morbidity and mortality. This study is aimed to determine the colonization rate and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of group B Streptococcus among pregnant women.MethodsHospital based cross-sectional study was conducted from August to December 2014 at selected health facilities. A total of 139 antenatal clinics attendees, proportionally allocated, were recruited consecutively. Socio-demographic and clinical factors were collected using a structured questionnaire. Vaginal swabs were collected and cultured on Todd Hewitt broth and in 5 % sheep blood agar. Antimicrobial susceptibility test was done using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson’s Chi square test.ResultsAmong the 139, 19 (13.7 %) were positive for GBS. All the GBS isolates were susceptible (100 %) to penicillin G, vancomycin, ampicillin, erythromycin and gentamicin. Two of the GBS isolates showed multidrug resistance against norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. No statistically significant difference was observed for GBS colonization with any independent variables.ConclusionVaginal colonization of GBS for the present study put emphasis on further investigation and accomplishment of routine GBS screening practices. The recovery of resistant strains to antimicrobial agents recommended in cases of penicillin allergic mothers indicates the importance of susceptibility test.

Streptococcus agalactiae maternal colonization, antibiotic resistance and serotype profiles in Africa: a meta-analysis

“…This discrepancy might be explained by the variability in the number of the studies involved in the meta-analysis, the number of pregnant women participated in between the two reviews, variations in the detection techniques (laboratory facilities) employed and biological factors among the study participants across the world. Another meta-analysis study analyzed the dataset about maternal colonization included 390 articles, 85 countries, and a total of 299, 924 pregnant women found the worldwide adjusted estimate for maternal GBS colonization was 18% (95% CI [17][18][19], with the regional variations from 11.1% (95% CI 9.9-12.4) in the Eastern Asia to 34.7% (95% CI 29.5-39.9) in the Caribbean. In the same meta-analysis study, Africa represented in the 19 studies included 36,130 pregnant women with the reported prevalence rate of 18.2% (95% and overall pooled estimate of the adjusted colonization proportion was 21.3% (95% [69] which is in consistent with our estimate.…”

“…Primary studies conducted in the East African countries showed the colonization rates ranged from 3.0% to 28.8% [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26]; Central Africa,20.0% [27,28]; Western Africa, 2.5% to 34.2% [29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48]; Southern Africa, 1.77% to 48.23% [49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57]…”

Prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of anorectal and vaginal group B Streptococci isolates among pregnant women in Jimma, Ethiopia

“…In Ethiopia, few studies have been conducted on GBS [11, 12, 15–17] although infant mortality is high in this population. Until today, there are no public health policies or strategies in Ethiopia aimed at the reduction of GBS neonatal infection.…”

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Group B Streptococcus in Pregnant Women from Hospitals in Ohangwena and Oshikoto Regions of Namibia.

“…Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae) is a gram-positive bacterium which belongs to the Lance eld Group B streptococcus (GBS). It is part of the normal ora of the gastrointestinal and female genitourinary tracts, and it is present in the genital tract of about 20-60% of pregnant women 1 . Nearly 20-40% of healthy women are colonised by GBS, and 50-70% of infants born to these mothers become infected with it 2 .…”

“…Mortality of GBS in neonates is over 50% and is particularly high in preterm infants 3 . Vaginal colonisation by GBS during pregnancy is associated with premature delivery and still births 1 .…”