ABSTRACT
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is still not routinely screened during pregnancy in Brazil, being prophylaxis and empirical treatment based on identification of risk groups. This study aimed to investigate GBS prevalence in Brazilian pregnant women by culture or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) associated to the enrichment culture, and to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of isolated bacteria, so as to support public health policies and empirical prophylaxis. After an epidemiological survey, vaginal and anorectal specimens were collected from 221 consenting laboring women. Each sample was submitted to enrichment culture and sheep blood agar was used to isolate suggestive GBS. Alternatively, specific PCR was performed from enrichment cultures. Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were determined for isolated bacteria by agar diffusion method. No risk groups were identified. Considering the culture-based methodology, GBS was detected in 9.5 percent of the donors. Twenty five bacterial strains were isolated and identified. Through the culture-PCR methodology, GBS was detected in 32.6 percent specimens. Bacterial resistance was not detected against ampicillin, cephazolin, vancomycin and ciprofloxacin, whereas 22.7 percent were resistant to erythromycin and 50 percent were resistant to clindamycin. GBS detection may be improved by the association of PCR and enrichment culture. Considering that colony selection in agar plates may be laboring and technician-dependent, it may not reflect the real prevalence of streptococci. As in Brazil prevention strategies to reduce the GBS associated diseases have not been adopted, prospective studies are needed to anchor public health policies especially considering the regional GBS antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.
ABSTRACT
Trata-se de uma revisão de publicações sobre infecção perinatal pelo Estreptococo do Grupo B (EGB), em neonatos. Considerando a relevância atual do tema, a dificuldade de implementação de medidas preventivas e a escassez de pesquisas nacionais sobre o assunto, este estudo propõe uma atualização sobre as diretrizes de prevenção. Os resultados demonstram a colonização materna pelo EGB como o fator de risco mais importante, a transmissão intra-útero como a mais freqüente e a forma precoce da doença como a mais grave. As principais diretrizes de prevenção englobam a identificação das gestantes portadoras de EGB e a quimioprofilaxia intraparto, medidas essas que têm determinado redução importante na incidência da infecção neonatal precoce pelo EGB
This is a review of publications on perinatal infection by Group B Streptococcus (GBS).Because of the current relevance of the theme, the difficulty in implementing preventive measures and the lack of national research on the issue, this study proposes an update on the preventive guidelines. The results show the colonization of the mother by GBS as the most important factor. The main prevention guidelines include the identification of pregnant women who are carriers of GBS and chemio-prophylasis during delivery, which have shown a significant reduction in early infection by GBS
Se trata de la revisión de publicaciones sobre infección perinatal en neonatos causada por el estreptococo del grupo B (EGB) Considerando su actual relevancia, la dificultad de poner en práctica medidas preventivas y la escasa investigación nacional del asunto, la propuesta de este estudio es actualizar las directrices de prevención. Los resultados demuestran que el principal factor de riesgo es la colonización materna causada por el virus, que la transmisión intrauterina es la más frecuente y que la forma más grave es la forma temprana de la enfermedad. Las principales directrices de prevención incluyen identificar a las embarazadas portadoras del EGB y quimioprofilaxia en el parto. Estas medidas han reducido considerablemente la incidencia de la infección neonatal temprana causada por el EGB