The Occurrence of Early-Onset Neonatal Streptococcus pneumoniae Infection as a Result of Intrapartum Infection

Early-onset neonatal infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae occurs rarely but has a high mortality rate. Due to the low detection rate of S. pneumoniae in maternal vaginal cultures, administering prophylactic antibiotics for S. pneumoniae to mothers before delivery is challenging. Herein, we present the case of a male newborn who was born at 38 weeks of gestation. The vaginal cultures of his mother before delivery did not reveal the presence of group B streptococcus (GBS) and S. pneumoniae. The newborn experienced respiratory distress six hours after birth and was diagnosed with congenital pneumonia. He was successfully treated with an artificial ventilator and antibiotics. The nasal cavity, external ear canal, and transtracheal tube sputum cultures of the neonate and the vaginal cultures of his mother were positive for S. pneumoniae serotype 3. This case indicates the occurrence of congenital S. pneumoniae infection as a result of intrapartum infection and highlights the necessity to consider S. pneumoniae as a causative agent of early-onset neonatal infection.