ProCite
RefWorks
Reference Manager
BibTeX
Zotero
EndNote
-
1.
Da Cunha V et al. 2014. Streptococcus agalactiae clones infecting humans were selected and fixed through the extensive use of tetracycline. Nat Commun 5: 4544.
-
2.
Verani JR, McGee L, Schrag SJ, 2010. Prevention of perinatal group B streptococcal disease—revised guidelines from CDC, 2010. MMWR Recomm Rep 59: 1–36.
-
3.
Ginsberg GM, Eidelman AI, Shinwell E, Anis E, Peyser R, Lotan Y, 2013. Should Israel screen all mothers-to-be to prevent early-onset of neonatal group B streptococcal disease? A cost-utility analysis. Isr J Health Policy Res 2: 6.
-
4.
Kobayashi M, Vekemans J, Baker CJ, Ratner AJ, Le Doare K, Schrag SJ, 2016. Group B Streptococcus vaccine development: present status and future considerations, with emphasis on perspectives for low and middle income countries. F1000Res 5: 2355.
-
5.
Madrid L et al. 2017. Infant group B streptococcal disease incidence and serotypes worldwide: systematic review and meta-analyses. Clin Infect Dis 65: S160–S172.
-
6.
Russell NJ et al. 2017. Maternal colonization with group B Streptococcus and serotype distribution worldwide: systematic review and meta-analyses. Clin Infect Dis 65: S100–S111.
-
7.
Dzanibe S, Madhi SA, 2018. Systematic review of the clinical development of group B Streptococcus serotype-specific capsular polysaccharide-based vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 17: 635–651.
-
8.
Khatami A, Randis TM, Chamby A, Hooven TA, Gegick M, Suzman E, A’Hearn-Thomas B, Steenhoff AP, Ratner AJ, 2018. Improving the sensitivity of real-time PCR detection of group B Streptococcus using consensus sequence-derived oligonucleotides. Open Forum Infect Dis 5: ofy164.
-
9.
Breeding KM, Ragipani B, Lee KD, Malik M, Randis TM, Ratner AJ, 2016. Real-time PCR-based serotyping of Streptococcus agalactiae. Sci Rep 6: 38523.
-
10.
Ferrieri P, Hillier SL, Krohn MA, Moore D, Paoletti LC, Flores AE, 2004. Characterization of vaginal & rectal colonization with multiple serotypes of group B streptococci using multiple colony picks. Indian J Med Res 119 (Suppl): 208–212.
-
11.
Kwatra G, Cunnington MC, Merrall E, Adrian PV, Ip M, Klugman KP, Tam WH, Madhi SA, 2016. Prevalence of maternal colonisation with group B Streptococcus: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis 16: 1076–1084.
-
12.
Madhi SA et al. 2016. Safety and immunogenicity of an investigational maternal trivalent group B Streptococcus vaccine in healthy women and their infants: a randomised phase 1b/2 trial. Lancet Infect Dis 16: 923–934.
-
13.
Anderson AL et al. 2017. Updates on the Development of a Multivalent Group B Streptococcal Vaccine. International Society for Vaccines Annual Congress, Abstract O1.3.
-
14.
Brochet M, Couve E, Bercion R, Sire JM, Glaser P, 2009. Population structure of human isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae from Dakar and Bangui. J Clin Microbiol 47: 800–803.
-
15.
Moyo SR, Maeland JA, Bergh K, 2002. Typing of human isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae (group B Streptococcus, GBS) strains from Zimbabwe. J Med Microbiol 51: 595–600.
-
16.
Suara RO, Adegbola RA, Baker CJ, Secka O, Mulholland EK, Greenwood BM, 1994. Carriage of group B Streptococci in pregnant Gambian mothers and their infants. J Infect Dis 170: 1316–1319.
-
17.
Blumberg HM, Stephens DS, Modansky M, Erwin M, Elliot J, Facklam RR, Schuchat A, Baughman W, Farley MM, 1996. Invasive group B streptococcal disease: the emergence of serotype V. J Infect Dis 173: 365–373.
-
18.
Skoff TH et al. 2009. Increasing burden of invasive group B streptococcal disease in nonpregnant adults, 1990–2007. Clin Infect Dis 49: 85–92.
.png)
High Rate of Serotype V Streptococcus agalactiae Carriage in Pregnant Women in Botswana
Maternal rectovaginal colonization is the major risk factor for early-onset neonatal sepsis due to Group B Streptococcus (GBS), a major cause of early life morbidity and mortality. Transmission generally occurs perinatally from colonized mothers to infants. Vaccines targeting a subset of GBS serotypes are under development, but GBS epidemiology remains poorly understood in many African nations. We performed a cross-sectional study of GBS colonization among pregnant women at two sites in Botswana, a country with minimal prior GBS carriage data. We found a rectovaginal colonization rate of 19%, comparable with studies in other regions; however, we also noted a striking predominance of serotype V (> 45% of strains). Although further studies are required to delineate the burden of invasive GBS disease in Botswana and the generalizability of type V epidemiology, these data provide a useful baseline for understanding the potential local impact of GBS prevention strategies, including vaccines.
Author Notes
Disclosure: A. J. R. receives consulting fees from Pfizer.
Financial support: Funding was provided by the Neonatology Division of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (to B. A.-T.) and the Melissa Ketunuti Basselier Endowment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (to B. A.-T. and A. P. S.). A. J. R. is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) award R56 AI136499. The project was made possible through core services and support from the Penn Center for AIDS Research (CFAR), an NIH-funded program (P30 AI045008). The results of this study were presented in part at the 1st International Symposium on Streptococcus agalactiae Disease, Cape Town, South Africa, February 20–23, 2018.
Authors’ addresses: Brady A’Hearn-Thomas, Department of Pediatrics, Roy J and Lucille A Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, E-mail: brady-thomas@uiowa.edu. Ameneh Khatami, Tara M. Randis, Anna Chamby, Margaret Gegick, Evan Suzman, and Adam J. Ratner, Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, and Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, E-mails: ameneh.khatami@gmail.com, tara.randis@nyulangone.org, anna.chamby@nyulangone.org, margaret.gegick@tufts.edu, esuzman@gmail.com, and adam.ratner@nyulangone.org. Moses Vurayai and Margaret Mokomane, Department of Microbiology, National Health Laboratory, Gaborone, Botswana, E-mails: mvurayai@gmail.com and bafanamargaret@gmail.com. Tonya Arscott-Mills, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Botswana-UPenn Partnership and Global Health Center, Philadelphia, PA, and Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana, E-mail: tonyaarscottmillsbup@gmail.com. Francis M. Banda and Tiny Mazhani, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana, E-mail: fmbanda@yahoo.co.uk and tinym106@yahoo.com. Thabo Lepere, Bamalete Lutheran Hospital, Ramotswa, Botswana, E-mail: thabolepere@yahoo.com. Ponatshego Gaolebale and Seeletso Nchingane, Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana, E-mails: ancorabw@gmail.com and son2018@yahoo.com. Andrew P. Steenhoff, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Botswana-UPenn Partnership and Global Health Center, Philadelphia, PA, and Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, E-mail: steenhoff@email.chop.edu.