[Group B streptococci as an etiologic agent of infections in adults and their characteristics]

The investigation was performed on 1471 bacteriologically-positive samples of materials derived from patients hospitalized in various hospital wards (mainly gynecology and obstetrics). Group B streptococci were in 10% etiological factors of infections in patients from gynecological and obstetrical wards. These bacteria were isolated in 25% from pus, 15.7% from vaginal smears and in 13.7% from cervix uteri. In urinary tract infections, group B streptococci were present in 10.7% of urine samples with positive bacteriological result. They were also isolated from 8.3% of sperm samples treated because of infertility. Isolated strains of group B streptococci belonged most frequently to following serotypes: Ic, III, R, Ib and II consisting respectively 33.5, 19.3, 12.9, and 11.0% of all strains out of 155 tested serologically. These results demonstrate that group B streptococci are frequently causative in bacterial infections of hospitalized patients.