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Risk factors and drug resistance in early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal disease
Ying-Wei Wang1, Yao-Qiang Du2, Xiao-Lin Miao3
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tiantai People's Hospital, Taizhou 317200, China.
Insights
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes serious neonatal infections in Western countries. While GBS is less frequently reported in neonates in China, this may reflect lower clinical interest rather than true incidence.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal infections
- Microbiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a significant pathogen causing neonatal infections in organs like the brain, lungs, and eyes.
- GBS infections are a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in the United States.
- In China, GBS is primarily detected in adult urogenital and perinatal screenings, with rare reports of neonatal infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the reported incidence and clinical significance of neonatal Group B Streptococcus infections.
- To compare the epidemiology of GBS infections in China with Western countries.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature and clinical data on GBS detection in China and Western countries.
- Analysis of reported neonatal GBS infection rates and associated morbidity/mortality.
Main Results:
- GBS is a major cause of neonatal disease in Western nations.
- Neonatal GBS infections are infrequently reported in China.
- The lower incidence in China may be influenced by varying levels of clinical surveillance and diagnostic focus.
Conclusions:
- While GBS is a critical neonatal pathogen globally, its reported prevalence in China appears lower than in Western countries.
- Further research is needed to ascertain the true incidence of neonatal GBS disease in China, considering potential disparities in clinical awareness and reporting.
Abstract:
In recent years, group B streptococcus (GBS) has become an important pathogen that causes infections in many neonatal organs, including the brain, lung, and eye (Ballard et al., 2016). A series of studies performed on GBS infections in western countries have revealed that GBS is one of the primary pathogens implicated in perinatal infection, and GBS infections are a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality in the United States (Decheva et al., 2013). In China, GBS is mainly found by screens for adult urogenital tract and perinatal infections, and neonatal GBS infections have been rarely reported. The incidence rate of early-onset neonatal GBS disease is thought to be lower in China than in western countries; however, this data is controversial since it also reflects the clinical interest in GBS (Dabrowska-Szponar and Galinski, 2001).
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