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Updated: Dec 7, 2025

A Murine Model of Group B Streptococcus Vaginal Colonization
Published on: November 16, 2016
Group B Streptococcal Disease in England (1998 - 2017): A Population-based Observational Study
Seilesh Kadambari1, Caroline L Trotter2, Paul T Heath3
1Oxford Vaccine Group, Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, and the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, United Kingdom.
Insights
Group B Strep (GBS) disease incidence in infants remains stable, but GBS-attributable mortality has significantly decreased. Further prevention strategies, like maternal vaccination, are crucial for infant health.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a primary cause of sepsis and meningitis in neonates.
- Understanding the burden of GBS disease in infants is critical for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the incidence and mortality of GBS disease in infants under 90 days in England.
- To compare GBS-affected infants with the general infant population regarding health outcomes and mortality.
Main Methods:
- Utilized linked National Health Service (NHS) hospitalization records from 1998 to 2017.
- Calculated annual GBS incidence and mortality rates.
- Employed regression models to compare outcomes between GBS-affected and unaffected infants.
Main Results:
- 15,429 infants diagnosed with GBS, with an average annual incidence of 1.28 per 1000 live births.
- GBS-attributable mortality significantly declined by an annual percentage change of -6.6% from 2001 to 2017.
- Infants with GBS exhibited higher relative rates of visual impairment, cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, and necrotizing enterocolitis.
Conclusions:
- GBS disease incidence in infants has remained unchanged over 19 years.
- Reduced mortality is attributed to improved antibiotic use and neonatal care.
- Prioritizing new prevention methods, including maternal vaccination, is essential.
Background And Objectives:
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in infants <90 days. In this study, the burden of GBS disease and mortality in young infants in England was assessed.
Methods:
Using linked hospitalization records from every National Health Service (NHS) hospital from April 1, 1998 to March 31, 2017, we calculated annual GBS incidence in infants aged <90 days and, using regression models, compared their perinatal factors, rates of hospital-recorded disease outcomes, and all-cause infant mortality rates with those of the general infant population.
Results:
15 429 infants aged <90 days had a hospital-recorded diagnosis of GBS, giving an average annual incidence of 1.28 per 1000 live births (95% CI 1.26-1.30) with no significant trend over time. GBS-attributable mortality declined significantly from 0.044 (95% CI .029-.065) per 1000 live births in 2001 to 0.014 (95% CI .010-.026) in 2017 (annual percentage change -6.6, 95% CI -9.1 to -4.0). Infants with GBS had higher relative rates of visual impairment (HR 7.0 95% CI 4.1-12.1), cerebral palsy (HR 9.3 95% CI 6.6-13.3), hydrocephalus (HR 17.3 95% CI 13.8-21.6), and necrotizing enterocolitis (HR 18.8 95% CI 16.7-21.2) compared with those without GBS.
Conclusions:
Annual rates of GBS disease in infants have not changed over 19 years. The reduction in mortality is likely multifactorial and due to widespread implementation of antibiotics in at-risk mothers and babies, as well as advances in managing acutely unwell infants. New methods for prevention, such as maternal vaccination, must be prioritized.
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