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Invasive group B streptococcal disease in Maryland nursing home residents

K J Henning1, E L Hall, D M Dwyer

  • 1Epidemiology and Disease Control Program, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, MD, USA.

The Journal of Infectious Diseases
|March 10, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Nursing home residents have a significantly higher risk of invasive group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections compared to community-dwelling seniors. This highlights the need for targeted GBS prevention strategies in long-term care facilities.

Area of Science:

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Epidemiology
  • Geriatric Medicine

Background:

  • Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of invasive bacterial infections in older adults.
  • Nursing home residents represent a vulnerable population with potentially higher risks for infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the incidence of invasive GBS infections in nursing home (NH) residents versus community-dwelling older adults.
  • To investigate potential risk factors and transmission patterns of GBS within NH settings.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cohort study analyzing GBS isolates from normally sterile sites in Maryland residents between 1991 and 1995.
  • Age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated and compared between NH residents and community residents aged 65 years and older.
  • Molecular subtyping was used to assess potential intra-NH transmission.

Main Results:

  • The age-adjusted annual incidence of invasive GBS infection was substantially higher in NH residents (72.3 per 100,000) compared to community residents (17.5 per 100,000), a relative risk of 4.1.
  • Multiple NHs reported multiple GBS cases, with one facility experiencing 8 cases within 22 months.
  • Serotype V GBS was identified in a significant proportion of cases from NHs, and molecular subtyping indicated possible transmission between residents within the same facility.

Conclusions:

  • Nursing home residents experience a markedly higher incidence of invasive GBS infections than community-dwelling older adults.
  • NHs may serve as important settings for GBS transmission, warranting further investigation into intra-NH spread.
  • NH residents should be considered a priority group for future GBS vaccination strategies.

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