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Incidence and serotype distribution of invasive group B streptococcal disease in young infants: a multi-country

Luis Rivera1, Xavier Sáez-Llorens2, Jesus Feris-Iglesias3

  • 1Hospital Maternidad Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. lrp@claro.net.do.

BMC Pediatrics
|October 3, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infections pose a significant threat to newborns. This study reveals high early-onset GBS disease incidence in the Dominican Republic, emphasizing the need for prevention strategies in Latin America and Asia.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal infections
  • Infectious disease epidemiology
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major cause of severe neonatal infections globally.
  • Limited incidence data exists for GBS in Latin America and Asia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence of GBS infections in infants across diverse Asian and Latin American settings.
  • To identify key GBS serotypes causing infant infections.
  • To inform public health strategies for GBS prevention.

Main Methods:

  • A multicenter, hospital-based observational study was conducted in Panama, Dominican Republic, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh.
  • Infants aged 0-89 days with GBS isolated from sterile sites were enrolled over 12 months.
  • Data on early-onset disease (EOD) and late-onset disease (LOD) were collected.

Main Results:

  • The incidence of EOD was highest in the Dominican Republic (2.35/1000 live births), lower in Hong Kong (0.76/1000) and Panama (0.77/1000).
  • No GBS cases were identified in Bangladesh.
  • Over 90% of EOD occurred on day 1 of life, with fatality rates varying from 6.7% to 40%.

Conclusions:

  • Dominican Republic's EOD incidence resembles pre-screening US rates; Hong Kong's is higher than previously reported Asian rates.
  • The absence of cases in Bangladesh suggests a need to investigate surveillance and healthcare factors.
  • High disease burden and specific serotypes (Ia, Ib, III) underscore the need for prevention and community-based surveillance.
Abstract

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