Background
Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Strep, GBS) is one of the main causes of invasive infections in neonates, predominantly causing neonatal sepsis and meningitis. In 2004, determination of GBS status in pregnant women in the Czech Republic was officially recommended. In the case of positive GBS status, intrapartal antibiotic profylaxis (IAP) is administered.
Methods
In the National Reference Laboratory for Streptococcal Infections (NRL/STR), GBS isolates from invasive as well as non-invasive materials are examined and serotype is determined. Surveillance of invasive infections caused by GBS is not established. This paper focuses on GBS isolates from invasive infections of children up to one year of age in years 2003 – 2020.
Results
In years 2003 – 2020, NRL/STR recieved 120 invasive GBS isolates from children up to one year of age – the least in year 2019 – 2 cases, the most in year 2009 – 18 cases. Isolates were obtained from blood (92 cases), cerebrospinal fluid (38 cases), in 11 cases from blood and cerebrospinal fluid in the same time, and from autopsy material (1 case). The most prevalent serotype in our dataset is serotype III (82 isolates), followed by serotype V (15) and Ia (12). In years 2003 – 2020, 7 deaths due to invasive GBS infection were registered, 3 of them were caused by serotype V, 2 by serotype Ia and 2 by serotype III.
Conclusions
Serotype III is the most frequent in our dataset of invasive GBS isolates from children up to one year of age. The highest mortality rate in our datase has serotype V (20%).