What is Group B Streptococcus and how does it affect pregnancy. How can GBS infections be prevented in newborns. What are the risk factors for passing GBS to your baby. How is GBS tested and treated during pregnancy. Can Group B Strep go away on its own. What are the potential complications of GBS for newborns.

Understanding Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in Pregnancy

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a common type of bacteria that can be present in the human body, particularly in pregnant women. While it’s usually harmless for adults, GBS can pose serious risks to newborns if transmitted during childbirth. Understanding this bacteria and its potential impact on pregnancy is crucial for expectant mothers and healthcare providers alike.

GBS colonizes the gastrointestinal and genital tracts of many adults without causing symptoms. In fact, approximately 25% of pregnant women carry GBS without realizing it. However, the presence of GBS during pregnancy requires careful monitoring and potential intervention to protect the newborn.

Can Group B Strep Go Away on Its Own?

Many wonder if GBS can resolve without treatment. GBS colonization can be transient, meaning it may come and go naturally. However, once a woman tests positive for GBS, she is considered a carrier for the remainder of her pregnancy and future pregnancies. This is because the bacteria can fluctuate in detectability, making it unpredictable.

It’s important to note that a positive GBS test doesn’t mean permanent colonization. Some women may test positive in one pregnancy and negative in another. Regular testing during each pregnancy is crucial due to this variability.

The Impact of GBS on Newborns

While GBS is typically harmless for adults, it can lead to severe complications in newborns. Transmission usually occurs during labor and delivery when the baby comes into contact with GBS in the birth canal. In rare cases, GBS can also cause infections during pregnancy or in the postpartum period.

Potential Complications for Newborns

• Sepsis (blood infection)
• Pneumonia (lung infection)
• Meningitis (infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord)

These infections can be life-threatening for newborns, emphasizing the importance of prevention and early detection. Most infants who develop GBS infections will show symptoms within the first week of life, though some cases may not appear until up to three months after birth.

Risk Factors for GBS Transmission to Newborns

Several factors increase the likelihood of passing GBS to a baby during childbirth. Understanding these risk factors can help healthcare providers implement appropriate preventive measures.

Key Risk Factors Include:

1. Preterm labor (before 37 weeks gestation)
2. Premature rupture of membranes (water breaking before 37 weeks)
3. Prolonged rupture of membranes (18 hours or more before delivery)
4. Maternal fever during labor (100.4°F/38°C or higher)
5. Previous delivery of a baby with GBS infection
6. GBS urinary tract infection during pregnancy

Identifying these risk factors helps healthcare providers determine the need for preventive antibiotics during labor, even in cases where GBS testing results are unavailable or negative.

GBS Testing and Screening Procedures

Routine screening for GBS is a crucial part of prenatal care in many countries. The standard approach involves testing pregnant women between 35 and 37 weeks of gestation.

How is GBS Testing Performed?

The screening process is straightforward and non-invasive. A healthcare provider will use a swab to collect samples from the vagina and rectum. These samples are then cultured in a laboratory to detect the presence of GBS. Results are typically available within a few days.

It’s worth noting that some healthcare providers may opt for a risk-based approach rather than universal screening. In these cases, women with known risk factors may receive preventive treatment without testing.

Prevention and Treatment Strategies for GBS

Preventing GBS transmission to newborns is the primary goal of GBS management during pregnancy. While there is currently no vaccine available to protect against GBS, effective strategies exist to minimize the risk of infection.

Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis

The most common and effective prevention method is the administration of intravenous antibiotics during labor to GBS-positive women or those with risk factors. This approach significantly reduces the likelihood of early-onset GBS disease in newborns.

Typically, penicillin or ampicillin is used for this purpose. For women with penicillin allergies, alternative antibiotics are available. The timing of antibiotic administration is crucial, with the first dose ideally given at least four hours before delivery for maximum effectiveness.

Can GBS Be Treated During Pregnancy?

GBS colonization itself is not treated during pregnancy. Antibiotics given before labor do not effectively prevent GBS transmission to the newborn. The focus is on providing antibiotics during labor when the risk of transmission is highest.

However, if a pregnant woman develops a GBS urinary tract infection, it will be treated with antibiotics to prevent complications and reduce the risk of preterm labor.

Long-term Implications of GBS Colonization

A positive GBS test during pregnancy does not necessarily mean long-term health consequences for the mother. As mentioned earlier, GBS colonization can be transient, and many women who test positive in one pregnancy may test negative in subsequent pregnancies.

Future Pregnancies and GBS

Women who have tested positive for GBS in a previous pregnancy are typically considered at higher risk in future pregnancies. However, this doesn’t mean they will definitely be GBS positive again. Healthcare providers often recommend testing in each pregnancy due to the variable nature of GBS colonization.

It’s important to distinguish GBS from other streptococcal infections. For instance, strep throat, caused by Group A Streptococcus, is unrelated to GBS colonization and does not increase the risk of GBS complications during pregnancy.

Advancements in GBS Research and Prevention

While current strategies for GBS prevention are effective, ongoing research aims to develop even better methods to protect mothers and newborns. Scientists and healthcare professionals continue to explore new approaches to reduce the incidence of GBS infections.

Potential Future Developments

• GBS vaccines: Researchers are working on developing vaccines that could provide long-term protection against GBS colonization and infection.
• Rapid testing methods: New diagnostic techniques may allow for faster and more accurate GBS detection, potentially enabling point-of-care testing during labor.
• Alternative prevention strategies: Studies are exploring non-antibiotic methods to reduce GBS colonization and transmission.

These advancements hold promise for further reducing the impact of GBS on maternal and neonatal health. As research progresses, guidelines for GBS management may evolve to incorporate new findings and technologies.

Supporting Maternal and Neonatal Health in the Context of GBS

Managing GBS during pregnancy involves more than just medical interventions. It also requires comprehensive support for expectant mothers and their families. Healthcare providers play a crucial role in educating patients about GBS and addressing any concerns they may have.

Key Aspects of Patient Education and Support

1. Clear communication about GBS testing and results
2. Explanation of prevention strategies and their importance
3. Addressing anxieties related to GBS colonization
4. Providing information on recognizing signs of GBS infection in newborns
5. Offering emotional support throughout the pregnancy and postpartum period

By fostering open communication and providing comprehensive care, healthcare providers can help ensure the best possible outcomes for mothers and babies in the context of GBS management.

Group B Streptococcus in pregnancy remains an important consideration in maternal and neonatal health. While GBS colonization is common and often harmless for adults, its potential impact on newborns necessitates vigilant screening and preventive measures. Through ongoing research, improved testing methods, and comprehensive care strategies, the medical community continues to enhance its approach to GBS management, working towards better protection for both mothers and their newborns.

Group B streptococcus – pregnancy Information | Mount Sinai

GBS – pregnancy

GBS Infection in Newborn Babies

Most of the time, GBS is harmless. However, GBS can be passed to a newborn during birth.

Most babies who come in contact with GBS during birth will not become sick. But the few babies who do become ill can have severe problems.

After your baby is born, GBS can lead to infections in:

• The blood (sepsis)
• The lungs (pneumonia)
• The brain (meningitis)

Most babies who get GBS will start having problems during their first week of life. Some babies will not get sick until later. Symptoms can take as long as 3 months to appear.

The infections caused by GBS are serious and can be fatal. Yet prompt treatment usually leads to complete recovery.

Preventing GBS Infections in Babies

Women who carry GBS often don’t know it. You are more likely to pass the GBS bacteria to your baby if:

• You go into labor before week 37.
• Your water breaks before week 37.
• It has been 18 or more hours since your water broke, but you haven’t had your baby yet.
• You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C)or more during labor.
• You have had a baby with GBS during another pregnancy.
• You have had urinary tract infections that were caused by GBS.

When you are 35 to 37 weeks pregnant, your doctor may do a test for GBS. The doctor will take a culture by swabbing the outer part of your vagina and rectum. The swab will be tested for GBS. Results are often ready in a few days.

Some doctors do not test for GBS. Instead, they will treat any woman who is at risk for having their baby be affected by GBS.

Treating and Preventing GBS Infections in Pregnant Women

There is no vaccine to protect women and babies from GBS.

If a test shows that you carry GBS, your doctor will give you antibiotics through an IV during your labor. Even if you are not tested for GBS but have risk factors, your doctor will give you the same treatment.

There is no way to avoid getting GBS.

• The bacteria are widespread. People who carry GBS often have no symptoms. GBS can come and go.

• Testing positive for GBS does not mean you will have it forever. But you will still be considered a carrier for the rest of your life.

Note: Strep throat is caused by a different bacterium. If you have had strep throat, or got it while you were pregnant, it does not mean that you have GBS.

Duff WP. Maternal and perinatal infection in pregnancy: bacterial. In: Landon MB, Galan HL, Jauniaux ERM, et al, eds. Gabbe’s Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 58.

Esper F. Postnatal bacterial infections. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, Walsh MC, eds. Fanaroff and Martin’s Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 48.

Pannaraj PS, Baker CJ. Group B streptococcal infections. In: Cherry J, Harrison GJ, Kaplan SL, Steinbach WJ, Hotez PJ, eds. Feigin and Cherry’s Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 83.

Verani JR, McGee L, Schrag SJ; Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Prevention of perinatal group B streptococcal disease–revised guidelines from CDC, 2010. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2010;59(RR-10):1-36. PMID: 21088663 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21088663/.

Last reviewed on: 4/19/2022

Reviewed by: John D. Jacobson, MD, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

Group B strep infection | March of Dimes

Group B streptococcus (also called Group B strep or GBS) is a common type of bacteria (tiny organisms that live in and around your body) that can cause infection. Usually GBS is not serious for adults, but it can hurt newborns.

Many people carry Group B strep bacteria and don’t know it. It may never make you sick. GBS in adults usually doesn’t have any symptoms, but it can cause some minor infections, like a bladder or urinary tract infection (UTI).

While GBS may not be harmful to you, it can be very harmful to your baby. If you’re pregnant, you can pass it to your baby during labor and childbirth.

About 1 out of 4 pregnant women (25 percent) carry GBS bacteria. The best way to know if you have GBS is to get tested. If you do have GBS, though, there’s good news: your health care provider can give you treatment during labor and birth that protects your baby from GBS.

How do you get GBS?

GBS bacteria live in the intestines and the urinary and genital tracts. It lives in the body naturally. As an adult, you can’t get it from food, water or things you touch. You can’t catch it from another person, and you can’t get it from having sex.

How do you know if you have GBS?

Your provider tests you for GBS at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy. Testing for GBS is simple and painless. Your provider takes a swab of your vagina and rectum and sends the sample to a laboratory. Your test results are usually available in 1 to 2 days.

Your provider also can use some quick screening tests during labor to test you for GBS. But these should not replace the regular GBS test that you get at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy.

How can you protect your baby from GBS?

If your GBS test at 35 to 37 weeks shows you have the infection, your provider gives you medicine called an antibiotic during labor and birth through an IV (through a needle into a vein). You also may be treated if you have any risk factors for GBS and you don’t know your GBS test results or you haven’t been tested yet. Treatment with antibiotics helps prevent your baby from getting the infection.

Penicillin is the best antibiotic for most women. Another antibiotic called ampicillin also can be used. These medicines usually are safe for you and your baby. But some women (up to 1 in 25 women, or 4 percent) treated with penicillin have a mild allergic reaction, like a rash. About 1 in 10,000 women have a serious allergic reaction that needs to be treated right away. If you’re allergic to penicillin, your provider can treat you with a different medicine.

If your test shows you have GBS, remind your health care providers at the hospital when you go to have your baby. This way, you can be treated quickly. Treatment works best when it begins at least 4 hours before childbirth.

If you have GBS and you’re having a scheduled cesarean birth (c-section) before labor starts and before your water breaks, you probably don’t need antibiotics.

It’s not helpful to take oral antibiotics before labor to treat GBS. The bacteria can return quickly, so you could have it again by the time you have your baby.

If you have GBS, what are the chances that you can pass it to your baby?

If you have GBS during childbirth and it’s not treated, there is a 1 to 2 in 100 chance (1 to 2 percent) that your baby will get the infection. The chances are higher if you have any of these risk factors:

• Your baby is premature. This means your baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
• Your water breaks (also called ruptured membranes) 18 hours or more before you have your baby.
• You have a fever (100.4 F or higher) during labor.
• You’ve already had a baby with a GBS infection.
• You had a UTI during your pregnancy that was caused by GBS.

If you have GBS and you’re treated during labor and birth, your treatment helps protect your baby from the infection.

If your baby gets GBS, do signs of infection or other problems show up right after birth?

Not always. It depends on the kind of GBS infection your baby has. There are two kinds of GBS infections:

1. Early-onset GBS: Signs like fever, trouble breathing and drowsiness start during the first 7 days of life, usually on the first day. Early-onset GBS can cause pneumonia, sepsis or meningitis. If you have GBS, you can pass this kind of infection to your baby. But treatment with antibiotics during labor and birth can help prevent your baby from getting it. About half of all GBS infections in newborns are early-onset.
2. Late-onset GBS: Signs like coughing or congestion, trouble eating, fever, drowsiness or seizures usually start when your baby is between 7 days and 3 months old. Late-onset GBS can cause sepsis or meningitis. If you have GBS, you can pass this kind of infection to your baby during or after birth. Treatment with antibiotics during labor and birth does not prevent late-onset GBS. After birth, your baby also can get GBS from other people who have the infection.

What problems can GBS cause in newborns?

Babies with a GBS infection can have one or more of these illnesses:

• Meningitis, an infection of the fluid and lining around the brain
• Pneumonia, a lung infection
• Sepsis, a blood infection

Pneumonia and sepsis in newborns can be life-threatening.

Most babies who are treated for GBS do fine. But even with treatment, about 1 in 20 babies (5 percent) who have GBS die. Premature babies are more likely to die from GBS than full-term babies (born at 39 to 41 weeks of pregnancy).

GBS infection may lead to health problems later in life. For example, about 1 in 4 babies (25 percent) who have meningitis caused by GBS develop:

• Cerebral palsy (A group of disorders that can cause problems with brain development. These problems affect a person’s ability to move and keep their balance and posture.)
• Hearing problems
• Learning problems
• Seizures

If your baby has a GBS infection, how is he treated?

It’s important to try and prevent a newborn from getting GBS. But if a baby does get infected with early-onset GBS or late-onset GBS, he is treated with antibiotics through an IV.

If you’re treated for GBS during labor, does your baby need special treatment?

Probably not. But if you have a uterine infection (an infection in your uterus) during labor and birth, your baby should be tested for GBS. Your baby’s provider can treat your baby with antibiotics while you wait for the test results.

Can GBS cause problems for mom during and after pregnancy?

GBS can cause a uterine infection during and after pregnancy. Symptoms of a uterine infection include:

• Fever
• Pain in your belly
• Increased heart rate (During pregnancy, it also can cause your baby’s heart rate to increase.)

If you have a uterine infection, your provider can give you antibiotics, and the infection usually goes away in a few days. Some women have no symptoms, so they don’t get treatment. Without treatment, infection during pregnancy may increase your chances of:

• Premature rupture of the members – When the amniotic sac breaks after 37 weeks of pregnancy but before labor starts
• Preterm labor – Labor that happens too early, before 37 weeks of pregnancy
• Stillbirth – When a baby dies in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy

If you’re treated for GBS during labor and birth, you probably won’t get a uterine infection after your baby is born.

GBS also can cause a UTI during pregnancy. A UTI can cause fever or pain and burning when you urinate. Sometimes a UTI doesn’t have any symptoms. If you have a UTI, you may find out about it from a urine test during one of your prenatal visits.

If you have a UTI caused by GBS, your provider gives you antibiotics to take by mouth during pregnancy. You also get antibiotics through an IV during labor and birth, because you may have high levels of GBS in your body.

Is there a vaccine for GBS?

No. But researchers are making and testing vaccines to prevent GBS infection in mothers and their babies.

More information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Last reviewed: November, 2013

Streptococcal infection in a pregnant woman

“It’s not a sexually transmitted infection, although it is commonly believed,” says Karlina Elksne and explains that sexually transmitted diseases can be contracted through sexual contact, but streptococcus is a common household microbe that can be transmitted anyone. If a pregnant woman is diagnosed with this infection, “this is not an infection to be afraid of. It is important to know that it is present and it is important to report it to the maternity facility so that they can take appropriate action.”

What exactly is this scourge of young mothers – streptococcus?

The full name of the infection is group B hemolytic streptococcus. This is a microorganism that lives in the gastrointestinal tract in 5-30% of people. During pregnancy, when the rate of bowel movement changes and the fullness of the blood vessels in the pelvic vessels increases, streptococcus can enter the vaginal mucosa. It is very quiet, inconspicuous and does not cause any harm to a woman, so the presence of streptococcus is detected using targeted tests.

At 35-37 weeks of pregnancy, all mothers-to-be are swabbed from the lower part of the vagina, perineum and around the anus with a special swab.

Why is this analysis so important?

As already mentioned, group B hemolytic streptococcus is very silent and does not harm the woman, her partner, or the child still in her abdomen. But for a newborn, streptococcus can even be deadly.
If this microorganism enters the baby during childbirth, it can cause neonatal sepsis or blood poisoning, meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain), and pneumonia in the newborn. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, 0.5-4 out of 1000 newborns can develop severe infections in the first days of life, and this is the main cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in Europe and other countries of the world.

If a mother is diagnosed with group B hemolytic streptococcus, there is a 30–70% chance that the baby will also be infected during labor as it moves down the birth canal.

Therefore, in many countries of the world, including Latvia, it is determined whether a pregnant woman is a carrier of this microorganism.

Streptococcus is present. What’s next?

When tests confirm the presence of streptococcus in a woman’s body, the gynecologist usually makes an appropriate entry in the mother’s passport and instructs the woman on what to do next. “You don’t need to take any medication, just go to the hospital in time for the onset of childbirth. There, the expectant mother will receive antibiotics as a preventive measure,” says Karlina Elksne.

The medicine is given intravenously every four hours during labor and passes through the placenta into the baby’s bloodstream, thus protecting the baby from infection during birth. Antibiotics paralyze this microorganism, preventing it from being active during childbirth.

Do I need to be treated after this?

“Not at all,” the doctor says, and repeats: “No.”

Streptococcus is dangerous for a child, not for a pregnant woman: “A woman can live with this microorganism for the rest of her life.”

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However, the gynecologist notes that often women want to undergo treatment in order to be cured of streptococcus, but, according to Karlina Elksne, there are quite a lot of studies that confirm that the potential harm from an incorrectly treated infection more than from the presence of streptococcus in a woman’s body. “We have heard a lot about antibiotic resistance, side effects, etc. It makes no sense to treat something that does absolutely no harm to a woman,” the specialist says.

2 more questions and 2 answers

1. If this infection was found once, will it be present in the next pregnancy?
   No, the streptococcus may disappear. Although this infection is not treated in any particular way, nevertheless, the microorganism may disappear after undergoing antibiotic treatment for some other reason.
2. Can men also carry streptococcus?
   They can, but they can live their whole lives without even suspecting the presence of a microorganism in their body. As in women, streptococcus does not cause any complaints in men.

Mom of two experiences

“During my second pregnancy, I was diagnosed with streptococcus. I was very surprised because I didn’t even think that I could have something like that. I’m clean, no complaints

My first thought was that I would have to take antibiotics because I associate strep infection with severe inflammation , something purulent, but the doctor reassured me that there is nothing like it. 0004

I don’t need to take anything other than when I go into labor (I gave birth to both of my babies in Stradini because of the risk of heavy bleeding) go straight to the hospital and tell the staff that I have a streptococcal infection. The gynecologist also noted this in my maternal passport.

At the hospital, after a check-up, they put a catheter in a vein in my upper arm, through which I then received a dose of antibiotics every four hours to ensure a safe delivery for my baby. My second labor was also long, so I was given antibiotics five or six times, but I did not feel any discomfort. My daughter was born healthy and everything is fine. Because I haven’t taken antibiotics for other illnesses, it’s possible that the streptococcus is still in my system, but I don’t feel it or even think about it, because everything is fine.”

Vaccine urgently needed to prevent deadly group B streptococcus

Vaccine urgently needed to prevent deadly Group B Streptococcus

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• Vaccine urgently needed to prevent deadly group B streptococcus

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Mother holding baby

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• The global burden of group B streptococcus disease is significantly higher than previously thought; each year, the infection causes more than half a million preterm births, 100,000 newborn deaths, at least 46,000 stillbirths, and significant disability.
• The bacterium is harmless to most pregnant women who carry it, but can be extremely severe if passed to the baby during pregnancy, at birth or in the first weeks of life.
• New vaccines are urgently needed to reduce deaths associated with group B streptococci and protect the lives and health of infants around the world.

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) reveals disappointing data on the global health effects of group B streptococcus (GBS), a common bacterium that can be passed to the baby in the womb mother, at birth or in the first weeks of life, and each year causes approximately 150,000 infant deaths, more than half a million preterm births, and a significant number of chronic disabilities.

To reduce these complications, the report’s authors call for the urgent development of vaccines for maternal immunization against GBS, emphasizing their potentially high cost-effectiveness and significant health benefits in all regions of the world.

According to WHO Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals Medical Officer Dr Philip Lambach , who is one of the report’s authors, “a new study has found that group B streptococcus is a serious and underestimated threat to survival and the well-being of newborns, with dire consequences for countless families around the world. WHO and partners are calling for the rapid development of a vaccine for maternal immunization against GBS that will bring enormous benefits to countries around the world.”

This new study quantifies for the first time GBS as a significant factor in preterm birth and the development of neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy, hearing and vision loss that can occur after GBS-associated infections.

Several vaccine candidates for GBS are currently under development, but none have yet been registered, although the search for vaccines began several decades ago.

“Infection with group B streptococcus has serious consequences for every affected family in any country. In the coming years, maternal vaccination could save the lives of hundreds of thousands of babies, but since it was proposed 30 years ago, no vaccine has been released worldwide. Now is the time to protect the most vulnerable people in the world with the GBS vaccine,” says director of the Center for Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (MARCH) at LMCT, Professor Joy Lone , which participated in the preparation of the report.

The GBS bacterium is present in the vagina in an average of 15% of pregnant women – that’s almost 20 million pregnant women every year – and usually does not show any symptoms. Subsequently, it can be transmitted from a pregnant woman to a fetus in the womb or to a newborn during labor.

Antibiotic prophylaxis is currently the main way to prevent GBS-induced diseases in newborns when the bacterium is detected during pregnancy. However, because this intervention fails to prevent most GBS-associated stillbirths, preterm births, and diseases caused by the bacterium after birth, significant health risks remain even in regions where high prevention coverage has been achieved.

It is important to note that the greatest burden of GBS occurs in low- and middle-income countries, where infection screening and prevention during childbirth are the most difficult to organize, and the need for a vaccine is greater than anywhere else. Maternal GBS is highest in sub-Saharan Africa (accounting for about half of the global burden of infection) and in East and Southeast Asia.

“A new maternal GBS vaccine would dramatically reduce neonatal and maternal deaths in the most disadvantaged countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where the burden of such deaths is most worrisome. We urge all stakeholders to consider this as a moral imperative,” said Dr. Martina Lukong Baye , National Multisectoral Program on Maternal, Newborn and Child Mortality Control, Ministry of Public Health of Cameroon, who also contributed to the report.

The report urges researchers, vaccine developers and donors to accelerate the development of an effective GBS vaccine that can be given to pregnant women during routine antenatal exams.

It is estimated that covering more than 70% of pregnant women with GBS vaccination will prevent more than 50,000 GBS-related deaths and 170,000 preterm births each year. According to the report, making vaccines affordable could result in an annual net economic benefit from maternal GBS vaccination of $17 billion over several years.

The report notes a number of important data gaps that do not provide a reliable estimate of the total burden of GBS-related mortality and morbidity. Thus, in a number of countries, thorough investigations into the infectious causes of stillbirths are often not always carried out, and therefore the real contribution of GBS to stillbirth statistics may be even greater.

According to Debbie Forwood , whose daughter Ada was stillborn as a result of GBS infection, “it is difficult to describe the depth and severity of the grief that comes with the death of your own child, the guilt that comes with it and how it changes you and your family forever and your relationship. Only a GBS vaccine could save Ada. When the widespread introduction of the vaccine begins, I will cry from a sense of injustice: it came too late for her and for other babies who suffer and die innocently every year while waiting for a vaccine. But it will also be tears of joy and hope that in the future many more babies will survive, and their families will not be touched by the horror that the death of a child brings.

The paper was presented at the ISSAD Global Conference on GBS, hosted by WHO and LSHGTM from Wednesday, November 3 to Friday, November 5, 2021. The conference is designed to mobilize researchers to close the gap in data and accelerate scientific developments aimed at reducing the burden of this deadly dangerous bacterial infection worldwide.

For further information and to arrange an interview, please contact Tilly Haynes, [email protected] LSHGTM.ac.uk, and Laura Keenan, [email protected] and [email protected].

Multimedia

Photos and materials on this report and the ISSAD conference are available here.

Publication data

Details of the post-embargo joint report by WHO and SHGTM: http://www.who.int/teams/immunization-vaccines-and-biologicals/immunization-analysis-and-insights/vaccine -impact-value/group-b-streptococcus-full-value-of-vaccine-assessment– in English

Details of the articles in the supplement to Clinical Infectious Diseases after the embargo was lifted: https://academic.oup.com /cid/pages/strep-b-worldwide – English

During the embargo, the report and articles in the supplement to Clinical Infectious Diseases can be found here (in English).

R Notes to editors

2020 annual GBS burden rates

• 19,700,000 pregnancies with vaginal colonization with group B streptococcus
• 518,000 cases of GBS-associated preterm birth
• 390,000 cases of GBS in infants
• 91,000 newborn deaths
• 46,000 or more stillbirths
• 40,000 infants living with neurological impairment after GBS-associated infections

global value of Group B streptococcus vaccine” ( Global value of group B streptococcus vaccine) provides an update on the current global GBS burden estimates first published by WHO and GMTM in 2017 and funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. With new data coming from Denmark and five low- and middle-development countries (Argentina, India, Kenya, Mozambique, and South Africa), these new estimates include for the first time data on GBS-related preterm births as well as the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders among GBS survivors. patients.

Accompanying the report, a series of nine articles, “Every Country, Every Family: Group B Streptococcal Diseases in the World,” was published in the supplement of Clinical Infectious Diseases by 61 authors from countries on six continents. The articles provide additional details on GBS, as well as emergency family expenses due to GBS-related illnesses. Two WHO-led articles analyze the readiness of existing programs to introduce a vaccine and provide additional information on the size of the market and the sustainability of demand for vaccines.

The report is the first outcome of the Roadmap to Achieve the 2030 Meningitis Control Goals, developed by WHO and its partners, including LMTM.

Information about ISSAD

ISSAD2021 Group B: Accelerating Evidence-Based Action for Every Family Worldwide.” The conference is organized by the World Health Organization and the Center for Vaccines and the Center for Maternal, Adolescent, Reproductive and Child Health (MARCH) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The conference runs from Wednesday, November 3rd to Friday, November 5th; Registration for the conference is open to everyone at ISSAD.org.

About LSHHTM

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHHTM) is the world’s leading center for research, postgraduate education and advanced training in public and global health surveys. With more than 3,500 employees in the UK and abroad, LSHGTM has approximately 5,000 students, raises £180 million in research funding annually and operates worldwide.

LSHGTM is one of the UK’s top rated research institutions, works in partnership with two MRC universities in the Gambia and Uganda and was awarded the 2016 University of the Year award by The Sunday Times.