Objectives: To evaluate the use of real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and bacterial culture methods to detect
group B streptococcus (GBS) in Chinese pregnant women in the third trimester; to separately assess the prevalence
of rectal and vaginal GBS colonization ; and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of the isolates.
Methodology: Samples were collected from 505 women at 35 and 37 weeks gestation at the Peking Union Medical
College Hospital. Bacterial culture and RT-PCR were performed. Antimicrobial susceptibility to commonly used antibiotics
was also analyzed.
Results: The overall GBS colonization rate was 7.5%. The colonization rate, sensitivity, and negative predictive value of
the bacterial culture method were 2.8%, 36.8%, and 95.1%, respectively, and these values were 7.3%, 97.4%, and 99.8%,
respectively, for PCR (p<0.001). The GBS colonization rate of the rectum (6.7%) was higher than that of the vagina
(2.8%) (p=0.005). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed that 100% were sensitive to penicillin, cephalosporin and
vancomycin.
Conclusions: RT-PCR was found to be a rapid and sensitive test for the detection of GBS colonization in Chinese pregnant
women. Rectal swabbing was also important for detecting GBS colonization. β-lactams are the first-line antibiotics
used for the treatment of GBS. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2016;6(4): 179-183 Group B streptococcus, Real-time polymerase chain reaction, Sampling sites,
Subjects | Health Care Administration |
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Journal Section | ART |
Authors | |
Publication Date | December 1, 2016 |
Published in Issue | Year 2016 Volume: 6 Issue: 4 |