Streptococcus agalactiae colonization in pregnant women living in the Brazilian Federal District area

Introduction: Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) can cause severe pneumonia, sepsis and meningitis in neonates up to one week of age. Neonatal GBS colonization incidence is related to maternal GBS colonization prevalence and prophylaxis. However, GBS colonization screening is not currently practiced in the public healthcare services of the Brazilian Federal District.

Objective: To estimate the occurrence of GBS colonization during pregnancy in a healthcare district located in the Brazilian Federal District.

Method: This cross-sectional study included women at 32-37 weeks of pregnancy, who attended the Regional Hospital of Tabatinga and its affiliated basic healthcare units. Vaginal and rectal swabs were collected and processed for the identification of microorganisms and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), according to the recommendations of CDC (2010).

Results: Samples from 263 women were investigated. Mean gestational age at the time of collection was 35 weeks, while mean patient age was 28.7 years and BMI was 30.5kg/m². During pregnancy, 35.7% of the subjects showed some kind of infection, with infection of the urinary tract accounting for 80% of the cases. The prevalence of GBS colonization was 13.8%. AST revealed clindamycin-resistance and erythromycin-resistance in 6.1% and 30.3% of the cases, respectively. No beta lactam- or vancomycin-resistant GBS was found.

Conclusion: GBS prevalence in the study area is similar to that found in other regions previously investigated. This finding underscores the need for screening all pregnant women in order to prevent neonatal infection.