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Updated: Dec 30, 2025
A Murine Model of Group B Streptococcus Vaginal Colonization
Published on: November 16, 2016
Antenatal group B streptococcus detection in pregnant women: culture or PCR?
Gerasimos Gerolymatos1, Paraskevi Karlovasiti2, Argiri Sianou3
1National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece. tzakbaouer@gmail.com.
Insights
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization increases during pregnancy. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a faster and more effective screening method for GBS detection than traditional culture methods.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a significant cause of neonatal infections.
- Maternal GBS screening and intrapartum prophylaxis are key preventive strategies.
- Understanding GBS colonization prevalence is crucial for neonatal health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine GBS colonization rates in pregnant and non-pregnant women.
- To compare the efficacy of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) versus culture for GBS detection.
- To assess GBS prevalence across different stages of pregnancy.
Main Methods:
- Vaginal and rectal samples were collected from pregnant and non-pregnant women.
- Culture method was used as the gold standard for GBS detection.
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay targeting the cfb gene was employed for GBS detection in third-trimester pregnant women.
Main Results:
- GBS colonization rates were similar in non-pregnant and first-trimester pregnant women.
- Colonization rates increased from the first to the third trimester of pregnancy.
- PCR identified significantly more GBS-positive samples compared to culture in third-trimester pregnant women.
Conclusions:
- GBS colonization prevalence is higher in the third trimester of pregnancy.
- PCR is a rapid and effective screening tool for GBS detection.
- PCR offers improved sensitivity over culture methods for identifying colonized women.
Introduction:
Group B streptococcus (GBS) is an important cause of neonatal infections. Maternal GBS colonization screening and intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis of colonized women can prevent neonatal diseases. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of GBS colonization in pregnant and non-pregnant women and to compare the performance of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with the established as gold standard technique, culture method, used for the detection of this microorganism.
Methodology:
Vaginal and rectal samples collected from 857 pregnant and 370 non-pregnant women were examined through cultures, while the samples collected from 452 pregnant women between 35 and 37 weeks of gestation were assayed by culture and PCR method targeting the cfb gene.
Results:
GBS colonization was present in both pregnant and non-pregnant women. The colonization rate was similar in non-pregnant and first trimester pregnant women and then increased from first to the third trimester of pregnancy. GBS cultures for vaginal and rectal samples were positive in 13.2% and 14.3% in non-pregnant women, while in pregnant women 13.2% and 13.7% in the first trimester, and 15.0% and 16.5% in the second trimester, respectively. In third trimester pregnant women, compared to culture method, PCR identified a significantly increased number of GBS positive vaginal (18.4% vs 22.6%, p = 0.0006) and rectal (18.1% vs 21.2%, p = 0.01) samples.
Conclusions:
GBS colonization rate was higher in the third trimester. PCR proved to be a rapid and useful GBS screening method allowing a shorter detection time, while identifying more colonized women than culture.
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