Type of Strep Infection Increases Over Three-Year Period for Black Infants, Remains Steady for White Infants, Report Finds
Cases of group B streptococcus increased over a three-year period for black infants despite the release of guidelines designed to prevent the infection, according to a study published Feb. 13 in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Reuters Health reports. GBS is the most common cause of blood infection and meningitis in newborns and is a frequent cause of pneumonia in newborns, according to Reuters Health. Between 10% and 20% of infants who have the infection die, and many others experience permanent brain damage.
The bacterium is passed from the mother to the infant during delivery. CDC in 2002 revised guidelines calling for all pregnant women to be tested for GBS at 35 to 37 weeks' gestation. Women found to have the infection should be treated with antibiotics during labor to prevent transfer of the bacterium to the infant.
According to the report, which analyzed data from a surveillance system between 2000 to 2006, there were 1,199 cases of early-onset -- during the first week of life -- GBS and 1,005 cases of late-onset disease. From 2000 to 2003, the overall rate dropped from 0.52 to 0.31 cases per 1,000 live births. But from 2003 to 2006, the overall rate of early-onset of GBS increased to 0.40 cases per 1,000 live births, driven by increasing rates among black infants. During that time period, the rate for black infants increased from 0.53 to 0.86 cases per 1,000 live births, while the rate for white infants remained steady at around 0.27 cases per 1,000 live births.
Researchers said rates of late-onset of the disease generally remained steady over the six-year study period, although there was a decrease in cases among black infants from 2005 to 2006. According to the report, the cause of the higher infection rate among black infants is unclear and "continued monitoring is needed to follow trends (in this group) to determine whether additional interventions are warranted" (Reuters Health, 2/17).
The report is available online.