Skip to main content
Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology logoLink to Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology
. 2002;10(4):165–169. doi: 10.1155/S1064744902000182

Serotyping group B streptococci in a small community hospital: an analysis of distribution and site of isolation.

Jennifer M Smith 1, Jason A Rexroth 1, David G Chaffin 1, Susan H Jackman 1
PMCID: PMC1784619  PMID: 12648309

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and site of isolation of different serotypes of group B streptococcus (GBS) colonization or infection at a small community hospital. METHODS: GBS isolates were obtained from a small community hospital and were then serotyped as la, Ib, II, III, IV, V or nontypeable. Hospital records were reviewed for patient sex, age and pregnancy status as well as the site of GBS isolation. RESULTS: GBS serotypes Ia, III and V were most common and accounted for over 60% of the total number of isolates. Serotype Ia was most prevalent in reproductive-age females, while serotypes V and III were most prevalent in non-reproductive-age females and males, respectively. Serotype la was most frequent in both pregnant and nonpregnant females. Serotype IV was more common in this study population than in those from other locations. CONCLUSIONS: The GBS serotype distribution in this small community did not differ significantly from distributions described in larger North American centers. A GBS vaccine designed against multiple serotypes would be protective for most of this population.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (105.5 KB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Davies H. D., Adair C., McGeer A., Ma D., Robertson S., Mucenski M., Kowalsky L., Tyrell G., Baker C. J. Antibodies to capsular polysaccharides of group B Streptococcus in pregnant Canadian women: relationship to colonization status and infection in the neonate. J Infect Dis. 2001 Jun 26;184(3):285–291. doi: 10.1086/322029. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Harrison L. H., Elliott J. A., Dwyer D. M., Libonati J. P., Ferrieri P., Billmann L., Schuchat A. Serotype distribution of invasive group B streptococcal isolates in Maryland: implications for vaccine formulation. Maryland Emerging Infections Program. J Infect Dis. 1998 Apr;177(4):998–1002. doi: 10.1086/515260. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Hickman M. E., Rench M. A., Ferrieri P., Baker C. J. Changing epidemiology of group B streptococcal colonization. Pediatrics. 1999 Aug;104(2 Pt 1):203–209. doi: 10.1542/peds.104.2.203. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kasper D. L., Paoletti L. C., Wessels M. R., Guttormsen H. K., Carey V. J., Jennings H. J., Baker C. J. Immune response to type III group B streptococcal polysaccharide-tetanus toxoid conjugate vaccine. J Clin Invest. 1996 Nov 15;98(10):2308–2314. doi: 10.1172/JCI119042. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Källman J., Schollin J., Schalèn C., Erlandsson A., Kihlström E. Impaired phagocytosis and opsonisation towards group B streptococci in preterm neonates. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1998 Jan;78(1):F46–F50. doi: 10.1136/fn.78.1.f46. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Schuchat A. Epidemiology of group B streptococcal disease in the United States: shifting paradigms. Clin Microbiol Rev. 1998 Jul;11(3):497–513. doi: 10.1128/cmr.11.3.497. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Sellin M., Olofsson C., Håkansson S., Norgren M. Genotyping of the capsule gene cluster (cps) in nontypeable group B streptococci reveals two major cps allelic variants of serotypes III and VII. J Clin Microbiol. 2000 Sep;38(9):3420–3428. doi: 10.1128/jcm.38.9.3420-3428.2000. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Shigeoka A. O., Hall R. T., Hemming V. G., Allred C. D., Hill H. R. Role of antibody and complement in opsonization of group B streptococci. Infect Immun. 1978 Jul;21(1):34–40. doi: 10.1128/iai.21.1.34-40.1978. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Tyrrell G. J., Senzilet L. D., Spika J. S., Kertesz D. A., Alagaratnam M., Lovgren M., Talbot J. A. Invasive disease due to group B streptococcal infection in adults: results from a Canadian, population-based, active laboratory surveillance study--1996. Sentinel Health Unit Surveillance System Site Coordinators. J Infect Dis. 2000 Jun 29;182(1):168–173. doi: 10.1086/315699. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Infectious Diseases in Obstetrics and Gynecology are provided here courtesy of Wiley

RESOURCES