TABLE 1.

Characteristics of the 149 group B streptococcus strains studied

Date of isolation (yr)	Groupa	No. of strains	Period (yr)	No. of strains isolated from:			No. of strains of serotype:		No. of strains from MLEE division:
				CSF	Vaginal samples	Gastric samples	III	Others	I	II	NDb
1986-1990	HR	63	1986-1990	54	9		44	19	29	34
1986-1990	LR	46	1986-1990		25	21	9	37	9	37
2002-2005		40	2002-2005	40			32	8			40

^aThe HR group of strains comprises the strains isolated from CSF samples from neonates suffering from meningitis and strains isolated from vaginal samples belonging to all of the ETs containing strains isolated from neonatal CSF. The strains of the LR group were isolated from vaginal and gastric samples and belonged to ETs that did not contain strains from CSF. The HR group strains are considered more likely to invade the CSF of neonates than LR group strains.

^bND, not defined.