[An analysis of 181 cases with blood stream infection caused by Streptococcus agalactiae in children from 2011 to...

To analyze the clinical characteristics of blood stream infection caused by Streptococcus agalactiae in children and the drug-resistance of the isolates.

All cases with Streptococcus agalactiae growth in blood or cerebrospinal fluid cultures from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015 were enrolled by checking the laboratory information system (LIS) from 7 Class 3 Grade A hospitals (4 in Zhejiang, 2 in Shanghai and 1 in Chongqing). Clinical data were collected for analysis. χ(2) test, t test and non parametric test were used in the study.

One hundred and eighty-one pediatric cases of blood stream infection caused by Streptococcus agalactiae were included in current study. Eighty-six cases (47.5%) were male, and with age range from one day to 9 years (media 13 days). Thirty cases (16.6%) were premature infants and 127 cases (70.2%) were born via vaginal delivery. Seventy-one cases (39.2%) had early onset (<7 d) infections, and 106 cases (58.6%) had late onset (7-89 d) infections. Seventy-eight cases (43.1%) were complicated with purulent meningitis. Incidences of vaginal delivery(81.7%(58/71) vs. 62.3%(66/106)), shortness of breath moaning (43.7%(31/71) vs. 15.1%(16/106)) and preterm premature rupture of membranes (25.4%(18/71) vs. 3.8%(4/106)) were higher in the early onset infection group compared with the late onset group(P all<0.05). However, the number of cases who had fever(25.4%(18/71)vs.85.8%(91/106)) and complicated with purulent meningitis (29.6%(21/71) vs. 53.8%(57/106)) in early onset infections group was less than that in the late onset group(P both<0.05). The blood cultures of most patients (87.8%) were performed before the use of antibiotics. Drug-resistant tests showed that the sensitive rates to penicillin G, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime were 98.9%, 99.0% and 99.0% respectively. All strains were sensitive to vancomucine. The rates of resistance to clindamycin and erythromycin were 68.0% and 34.0%, respectively. Only 39 cases (22.0%) were treated with single antibiotics of either penicillins or cephalosporins, 80 cases (45.2%) were treated with antibiotics containing β lactamase inhibitor, 61 cases (34.5%) were treated with either meropenem or cefoperazone-sulbactam. One hundred and fifty-four cases were cured, while 19 died (including 13 complicated with purulent meningitis) and 8 lost to follow up after giving up of treatment.

The incidence and mortality of blood stream infection caused by Streptococcus agalactiae complicated with purulent meningitis are high in children. Penicillin is the first choice in treatment. Antibiotics should be selected accorrding to the drug-resistance test.