IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS OF STREPTOCOCCUS AGALACTIAE

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Group B Streptococcus (GBS), or Streptococcus agalactiae, is a common bacterium found in the flora of healthy women.
• GBS can cause severe infections in vulnerable populations, including neonates and immunocompromised individuals.
• Current GBS treatment relies on Penicillin G, with alternatives like Erythromycin, Vancomycin, and Clindamycin for allergic patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of Streptococcus agalactiae in pregnant women in Georgia.
• To assess the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of isolated GBS strains.
• To identify potential challenges in GBS treatment due to antibiotic resistance.

Main Methods:

• Anovaginal swabs were collected from 80 pregnant women (35-37 weeks gestation) between March and September 2019.
• Additional GBS strains were obtained from urine, vaginal, and rectal samples from a local clinic.
• Standard microbiological methods were used for culturing and identification, with antimicrobial susceptibility determined by disk diffusion.

Main Results:

• Overall, 29% of the 104 samples tested positive for Streptococcus agalactiae.
• All GBS strains demonstrated sensitivity to Penicillin, Ampicillin, and Vancomycin.
• Significant resistance was observed: 25% of strains were resistant to Erythromycin and 13% to Clindamycin.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of Streptococcus agalactiae in Georgia is notably high, particularly concerning the emergence of Erythromycin-resistant strains.
• The increasing resistance to Erythromycin and Clindamycin complicates treatment options for penicillin-allergic individuals.
• Vancomycin remains a reliable treatment option, as no vancomycin-resistant GBS strains were detected, though ongoing monitoring is essential.