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Updated: Jul 9, 2026

A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis
08:46

A Neonatal Imaging Model of Gram-Negative Bacterial Sepsis

Published on: August 12, 2020

A Review of Early- and Late-Onset Neonatal Infections by Group B Streptococcus: Pathophysiology and Vaccine Prospects

Wahid Hanan Hamimi1, Hajar Ahmad Jamil1, Danesh Anamulai1

  • 1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University, Pahang, Malaysia.

Fetal and Pediatric Pathology
|July 8, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes significant neonatal illness and death. A maternal GBS vaccine is urgently needed to prevent invasive GBS disease, as current prevention methods are insufficient.

Area of Science:

  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality globally.
  • Vaginal GBS colonization in pregnant women can lead to invasive GBS (iGBS) disease in newborns.
  • Current prevention strategies like intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) have limitations, especially in low-resource settings.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms of GBS virulence and host interactions in invasive GBS disease.
  • To highlight the need for a maternal GBS vaccine.
  • To inform vaccine design and therapeutic development.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes existing literature on GBS pathogenesis.
  • It examines the interplay between GBS virulence factors and host responses.
  • The review discusses the limitations of current GBS prevention strategies.

Main Results:

  • GBS virulence factors and host interactions are critical in causing invasive GBS disease.
  • Early-onset disease (EOD) is often sepsis, while late-onset disease (LOD) is frequently meningitis.
  • IAP reduces EOD but not LOD and faces implementation challenges in LMICs.

Conclusions:

  • A safe, effective, and affordable maternal GBS vaccine is essential.
  • Understanding GBS-host interactions is key for developing new vaccines and therapies.
  • Improved GBS prevention is crucial to reduce neonatal mortality and morbidity worldwide.

Keywords:
Group B StreptococcusStreptococcus agalactiaeearly-onset diseaseintrapartum antibiotic prophylaxislate-onset diseaseneonatal infectionvaccine developmentvirulence factor

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