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Updated: May 9, 2025
A Murine Model of Group B Streptococcus Vaginal Colonization
Published on: November 16, 2016
Strategies to reduce invasive neonatal Group B Streptococcal disease in Malaysia
1Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Population Medicine, Malaysia. boony@utar.edu.my.
Insights
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes serious neonatal disease globally. Malaysia needs national data on maternal GBS colonization and its risks to improve prevention strategies for invasive GBS disease.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Invasive neonatal Group B streptococcal (GBS) disease poses a significant global health threat, particularly during perinatal and postnatal periods.
- Maternal rectovaginal GBS colonization is the primary cause, leading to stillbirths, maternal diseases, and neonatal sepsis worldwide.
- Current prevention in high-income countries involves universal screening and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis, reducing early-onset GBS disease by over 80%.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the lack of national data on maternal GBS colonization, stillbirths, preterm births, and neurodevelopmental impairment in Malaysia.
- To emphasize the need for comprehensive national data to inform and improve GBS prevention strategies in Malaysia.
- To reduce the incidence of invasive neonatal GBS disease during perinatal and postnatal periods.
Main Methods:
- Review of epidemiological data from high-income countries regarding GBS colonization and disease burden.
- Analysis of existing national data on neonatal GBS sepsis in Malaysia.
- Identification of critical data gaps in maternal GBS colonization prevalence and associated risks.
Main Results:
- Globally, millions of pregnant women are colonized with GBS, resulting in substantial stillbirths, maternal diseases, and neonatal sepsis.
- High-income countries have successfully reduced GBS disease through universal screening and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis.
- Malaysia lacks comprehensive national data on maternal GBS colonization rates and associated adverse perinatal outcomes, despite high neonatal GBS sepsis morbidity and mortality.
Conclusions:
- Malaysia requires national data on maternal GBS rectovaginal colonization prevalence and its association with stillbirths and preterm births.
- Improved data collection is crucial for enhancing current preventive strategies against invasive neonatal GBS disease.
- Implementing evidence-based prevention strategies can significantly reduce the impact of GBS during perinatal and postnatal periods.
Abstract:
Invasive neonatal Group B streptococcal (GBS) disease is a globally recognised serious condition. Its most devastating impact is during perinatal and postnatal periods. Epidemiological studies from high-income countries (HICs) showed that maternal rectovaginal GBS colonisation is the leading cause. It was estimated that world-wide, there were 20 million pregnant women with rectovaginal GBS colonisation which has caused 46,200 stillbirths, 40,500 cases of invasive maternal diseases, and 231,800 cases of early-onset and 162,200 cases of late-onset sepsis in neonates/infants. Among neonates/infants who have recovered from the disease, 37,100 suffered neurodevelopmental impairment. The current preventive measures in HICs consist of universal screening for maternal rectovaginal GBS colonisation at 35- to 37-week gestation, followed by intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis for positive cases. This has prevented more than 80% of early-onset GBS disease. In Malaysian public hospitals, only targeted screening for maternal GBS colonisation was practiced in high-risk women with previous perinatal GBS infection/disease. We do not have national data on a) maternal GBS rectovaginal colonisation rates, b) stillbirths caused by GBS infections, c) preterm birth associated with maternal GBS colonisation, and d) neurodevelopmental impairment following invasive neonatal GBS disease. We only have national data of neonatal GBS sepsis which showed high morbidity and mortality. To reduce invasive neonatal GBS disease in Malaysia, we need national data on the prevalence of maternal GBS rectovaginal colonisation, its associated risk with stillbirths, and GBS-associated preterm births to help improve current preventive strategies to reduce invasive GBS disease during the perinatal and postnatal periods.
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