Beta hemolytic streptococcus group B

Beta hemolytic streptococcus group B

Definition

A type of bacterium often found in the vagina. It can cause systemic infections in people with suppressed immune systems, or the new born.

Group B streptococci

Pronunciation

BAY-tuh HEE-moh-LIH-tik STREP-toh-KAH-kus ...

Clinical features

• Group B Streptococcus (group B strep, GBS) are bacteria that come and go naturally in the body.
• Most of the time the bacteria are not harmful, but they can cause serious illness in people of all ages.
• In fact, group B strep disease is a common cause of severe infection in newborns.

Neonatal GBS

In neonates two syndromes exist for group B strep (GBS) disease:

• Early-onset (<7 days old)
• Late-onset (7-90 days old)

Streptococcus agalactiae (Beta haemolytic Streptococcus)

Clinical presentation

Both can manifest as bacteremia, sepsis, pneumonia, and meningitis. In adults, severe infections can manifest as bacteremia (including sepsis) and soft tissue infections.

Pregnancy-related infections include:

• Bloodstream infections (including sepsis)
• Amnionitis
• Urinary tract infection
• Stillbirth

Etiologic Agent

Streptococcus agalactiae or group B Streptococcus (group B strep, GBS) cause GBS disease.

Incidence

• Approximately 30,800 cases of invasive GBS disease occur annually in the United States in all age groups.
• In newborns, approximately 7,600 cases occurred before widespread adoption of prevention guidelines.
• The rate of early-onset infection decreased from 1.7 cases per 1,000 live births (1993) to 0.22 cases per 1,000 live births (2016).
• Racial disparities in disease persist with the incidence higher among African Americans for all age groups. Learn more about GBS trends.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of bacteremia (blood stream infection) and sepsis (the body’s extreme response to an infection) include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Low alertness

Symptoms of pneumonia (lung infection) include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Cough
• Rapid breathing or difficulty breathing
• Chest pain

Skin and soft-tissue infections often appear as a bump or infected area on the skin that may be:

• Red
• Swollen or painful
• Warm to the touch
• Full of pus or other drainage
• People with skin infections may also have a fever.

Bone and joint infections often appear as pain in the infected area and might also include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Swelling
• Stiffness or inability to use the affected limb or joint

Diagnosis

GBS is diagnosed when the bacteria are grown from cultures of the blood, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) or other normally sterile body site. Cultures take a few days to grow.

Lab tests

The lab tests include culture, and sensitivity tests. The most accurate way to identify group B Streptococcus (GBS) is to demonstrate that the bacteria in question has the Lancefield group B antigen on the surface of the bacteria. The Lancefield antigens are called group A, B, C, D, etc. Each of the antigens is associated with a certain kind of bacteria. In the case of GBS, the antigen we are looking for is called group B.

Treatment

GBS infections are usually treated with penicillin. Sometimes other types of antibiotics are used. Soft tissue and bone infections may require surgery to treat. Treatment often depends on where the bacteria in found in the body.

Complications

Neurologic sequelae include sight or hearing loss and cerebral palsy. Death occurs in about 5% of infants and adults.

ICD

ICD 10: B95.1 , P36.0

Beta hemolytic streptococcus group B Resources
Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials	Wikipedia

References