Group B Streptococci serotype distribution in pregnant women in Ghana: assessment of potential coverage through future vaccines
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Date
2015
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Tropical Medicine and International Health
Abstract
objective Group B streptococcal (GBS) colonization of pregnant women can lead to subsequent
infection of the new-born and potentially fatal invasive disease. Data on GBS colonization prevalence
and serotype distribution from Africa are scarce, although GBS-related infections are estimated to
contribute substantially to infant mortality. In recent years, GBS vaccine candidates provided promising
results in phase I and II clinical trials. We aimed to assess the prevalence and serotype distribution of
GBS in Ghana since this knowledge is a prerequisite for future evaluation of vaccine trials.
methods This double-centre study was conducted in one rural and one urban hospital in central
Ghana, West Africa. Women in late pregnancy (≥35 weeks of gestation) attending the antenatal care
clinic (ANC) provided recto-vaginal swabs for GBS testing. GBS isolates were analysed for serotype
and antibiotic susceptibility. GBS-positive women were treated with intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis
(IAP) according to current guidelines of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
results In total, 519 women were recruited at both study sites, recto-vaginal swabs were taken
from 509. The overall prevalence of GBS was 19.1% (18.1% in rural Pramso and 23.1% in urban
Kumasi, restrospectively). Capsular polysaccharide serotype (CPS) Ia accounted for the most frequent
serotype beyond all isolates (28.1%), followed by serotype V (27.1%) and III (21.9%). No resistance
to Penicillin was found, resistances to second line antibiotics clindamycin and erythromycin were
3.1% and 1%, respectively.
discussion Group B Streptococcus serotype distribution in Ghana is similar to that worldwide, but
variations in prevalence of certain serotypes between the urban and rural study site were high.
Antibiotic resistance of GBS strains was surprisingly low in this study.
Description
This article is published by Tropical Medicine and International Health and is also available at https://doi.org/10.1111/tmi.12589
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Citation
volume 20 no 11 pp 1516–1524 november 2015