Affiliations: Infection Control Committee, Hospital e Maternidade
Santa Joana (Santa Joana Maternity Hospital), São Paulo, SP, Brazil | Neonatalogy Department, Hospital e Maternidade Santa
Joana (Santa Joana Maternity Hospital), São Paulo, SP, Brazil | Microbiology Department, Hospital e Maternidade Santa
Joana (Santa Joana Maternity Hospital), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
Note: [] Correspondence: Rosana Richtmann, Rua do Paraíso, 432
Paraiso, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Tel.: +55 50806145/99809136; Fax: +55
50806023; E-mail: ccih@hmsj.com.br
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Group B streptococcus (GBS) is one of the principal
agents of neonatal early onset sepsis (EOS). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the
incidence of GBS colonization and neonatal EOS due to GBS and to describe the
compliance of an institutional protocol. METHODS: From January 2007 to December
2010 we conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the incidence of
maternal GBS colonization in high risk pregnant women. A protocol was
implemented to determine anal/vaginal GBS colonization of all women at 22 to 37
weeks of pregnancy and all patients that presented the following risk factors.
Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) was administered according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. From January 2009
to December 2010, data from the medical records of all newborns at the NICU
were also collected to identify the incidence of newborns whose mothers were
screened as indicated by the protocol. RESULTS: A total of 4,797 high risk pregnant women were included. The incidence of maternal GBS colonization was 23
EOS due to GBS was 0.09/1000 live births and a 50 Information regarding GBS
maternal colonization was available for 91 the neonates admitted to the NICU.
CONCLUSIONS: The maternal GBS colonization rate was similar to that described
in the literature. Information regarding maternal GBS colonization was
available to the majority of neonates, which is essential for management of
this high risk population. The strategy of surveillance of high risk pregnant
women can provide a useful and feasible strategy.
Keywords: Early neonatal disease, maternal colonization, group B streptococcus
