Carriage of beta haemolytic streptococci [BHS] in pregnant women and acquisition by neonates

Beta Haemolytic Streptococci [BHS] carriage rate in pregnant women during labour and its acquisition by their newborns just after birth was investigated in 60 mother baby pairs. The carriage rate of group B Streptococci [GBS] was 11.6% acquisition rate by newborns of carrier and non-carrier mothers was 85.7% and 1.8% respectively. A total of 28.5% newborns were carrying GBS on all the skin sites and were heavily colonized and therefore, at higher risk of developing early onset of Streptococcal infections. Penicillin G and Ampicillin were most effective antibiotics against GBS

Frequency of chlamydia trachomatis in pregnant women

Frequency of chlamydia trachomatis infection was investigated in eighty-five pregnant women by direct immunofluorescence [IF] and iodine staining methods. The overall frequency of true positive by both methods was 8.2%. Direct immunofluorescence method alone detected chlamydia infection in 16.5% women with 50% sensitivity and 93% specificity and by iodine method in 14.1% women with 58.3% sensitivity and 90.4% specificity. This shows that as compared to IF iodine method is more sensitive and less expensive and easier to perfrom. The frequency of chlamydia trachomatis infection in our study population appears to be age dependent with younger patients being more likely to be infected than the older patients