Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Infection: A 7-Year Experience.

Background: This retrospective study was designed to determine the trend of neonatalgroup B streptococcal (GBS) infection during the past 7 years at the ChangGung Memorial Hospital of Kaohsiung, as well as to assess the risk factors,clinical features and patient outcomes.Methods: Medical records of infants with neonatal GBS infection identified by positiveresults of cultures of sterile body fluid in our hospital from January 1996through December 2002 were reviewed for demographic and clinical data.Results: There were 33 infants with neonatal GBS infections during the past 7 yearsin our hospital. The number of patients increased from 1996 to 2001. Sixteeninfants had early onset infections and 17 infants had late onset infections. Ofthe nine patients with maternal risk factors in the early onset group, prolongedrupture of membranes (7, 44%) was most frequently encountered.Distressed respiratory sign (8, 50%) was the most common clinical presentationin early onset group, while fever > 38°C (17, 100%) was the most commonpresentation in late-onset group. The mortality rates were 13% and 6%in early and late onset groups, respectively. Gestational age ( p=0.05) andpneumonia ( p = 0.015) were two most important factors influencing the mortalityrate.Conclusions: The number of GBS-infected infants seemed to have increased during thepast 7 years in our hospital. Because the incidence of neonatal GBS infectionand maternal colonization in Taiwan has not been collected, we could notdetermine the necessity of intrapartum chemoprophylaxis. Setting a comprehensivesurveillance in Taiwan should be considered.