Group B Strep Myth Buster

Group B Streptococcus (also known as ‘group B Strep’ or ‘GBS’) is a natural bacterium that is commonly found in the intestines of up to one in every three adults as well as in the vaginas of one in four women. Group B Strep carriage is not an infection; it is some of the natural bacteria that live on and in us. It is defined as a ‘commensal’, an organism that lives in or on another without causing harm. Carriage is asymptomatic, without signs or symptoms. Why you should be group B Strep aware… Even though group B Strep is a natural and normal bacterium, it is the most common cause of life-threatening infection in newborn babies, and of meningitis in babies up to three months.

 The Double Life of Group B Streptococcus: Asymptomatic Colonizer and Potent Pathogen

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a β-hemolytic gram-positive bacterium that colonizes the lower genital tract of approximately 18% of women globally as an asymptomatic member of the gastrointestinal and/or vaginal flora. If established in other host niches, however, GBS is highly pathogenic. During pregnancy, ascending GBS infection from the vagina to the intrauterine space is associated with preterm birth, stillbirth, and fetal injury.

 Two mothers, one preventable infection

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a bacteria that can cause an infection that, left untreated in infants, may lead to sepsis and meningitis, and even death. It is estimated to cause at least 90,000 newborn deaths and 46,000 stillbirths annually, and more than half those deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over 20 million pregnant women carry the bacteria in any given year, and can pass it unknowingly to their babies during delivery. Worldwide, countries vary widely in their abilities to detect and treat GBS—and in their health systems’ capacity to care for the children who contract it. A maternal vaccine that could pass antibodies to a developing baby, protecting them in those early weeks of life, would significantly reduce these inequities—and ensure that more babies can survive and thrive.

Group B strep (strep B) and pregnancy

Group B strep (also known as GBS or Strep B) is a common bacteria carried in the body. Carrying group B strep is usually harmless, but sometimes it can infect a baby around the time of labour and the early weeks after birth. GBS infection can make your baby very unwell, but with early treatment most babies will make a full recovery.

Group B Strep Testing During Pregnancy

This test is now usually performed around 36 weeks of pregnancy. (Testing earlier doesn't always predict who will be carrying GBS if women deliver after 40 weeks.) Some hospitals and birthing centers offer a rapid GBS test that can screen women during labor and provide results within the hour, in lieu of testing a few weeks earlier.

Group B Strep: A Dangerous Infection in Infants and Adults

Despite advances in treatment and prevention, Group B strep continues to be the leading cause of dangerous infections in newborns, pregnant mothers and adults.

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is an important pathogen in human disease- but what about in cystic fibrosis?

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a common commensal capable of causing severe invasive infections. Most GBS infections occur in neonates (often as pneumonia). GBS can also cause infection in adults with diabetes and other immunological impairments but rarely leads to pneumonia in adults. GBS has occasionally been found in the sputum of Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients, an inherited condition known for progressive lung disease. However, the epidemiology and clinical significance of GBS in CF are not understood.

Management of Women with Group B Streptococcus (GBS) during Pregnancy

If the woman has not had severe allergy to penicillin - a cephalosporin (e.g. IV Cefuroxime 1.5 g loading dose followed by 750 mg every 8 hours should be used.

Special Issue "Group B-Streptococcus (GBS)"

Many aspects of GBS remain unexplored: these include whether early- and late-onset disease are the same condition, or whether late-onset disease occurs because of immune dysregulation in the intestine or in blood; whether breastmilk is a potential cause of infection, and whether and how breastmilk might protect against infection; what bacterial targets are preserved globally that might assist vaccine design; whether rapid diagnostics can be used in low-income settings to identify women at risk of transferring GBS to their infants; whether an amount of antibody transferred via the placenta can be determined above which an infant is protected from GBS disease and whether a vaccine would be effective in the elderly as well as in pregnant women.

Understanding Group B Strep

“Usually GBS is only talked about when a woman is pregnant, but the bacteria is found in all of our guts — both men and women. It’s usually harmless and people are often unaware that they have it,” said Dr. Regenstein. She said that in rare instances the bacteria can cause health problems for a pregnant woman, including urinary tract infection, infection of the placenta and amniotic fluid, and pneumonia.

What can be done to prevent my baby getting sick from GBS?

Your baby can be protected from GBS disease if you have antibiotics during labour. These antibiotics pass across the placenta to the baby before it is born and help prevents severe infection during the first few days of life.

What do I need to know about Group B Strep?

As GBS is a common bacteria found in humans, there are very few risks unless you are pregnant. GBS can cause disease in small babies, especially if a baby is born prematurely. Other risks include, if someone may have previously had a baby with a GBS infection, if they had a GBS positive test result, or if they had a fever during the labour.

What is Group B Strep?

About 1 in 4 pregnant individuals "carry" or are "colonized" with group B strep (GBS). Carrying GBS does not mean that you are unclean or have poor hygiene. Anyone can carry GBS. GBS is not considered to be a sexually transmitted disease or infection as it can occur on its own even in someone with no prior sexual experience.