F2F Poster 21st Lancefield International Symposium for Streptococci and Streptococcal Diseases 2022

Background: Group B Streptococcal (GBS) infections are one of the leading causes of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Current methods to prevent early onset disease (EOD) due to GBS involves giving GBS positive mothers intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP). Transient colonisation of GBS results in previously colonised mothers receiving unnecessary IAP. Our aim is to develop a cheap, rapid, and dedicated point of care test used intrapartum, allowing clinicians to quickly assess GBS carriage status for women in labour.

Fig. 1. Displays method of point of care test

Methods: Lipid based vesicles containing fluorescein dye have shown to burst and release dye when in contact with GBS. GBS type strains as well as common vaginal commensals such as Candida spp. and Lactobacillus spp. amongst others have been grown in both single and multispecies biofilm and planktonic models to test sensitivity and selectivity to our lipid vesicles. Effectivity has been determined by fluorescence activity in relation to controls.  

Results: Lipid vesicles with GBS inoculation show higher fluorescent signal compared to vaginal commensals, indicating that our point of care test can successfully detect GBS carriage.

Conclusions: A rapid point of care test sensitive for GBS carriage would allow clinicians to rapidly prescribe antibiotic prophylaxis during labour, significantly reducing the risk for early onset neonatal GBS infection. The method proposed requires no previous laboratory experience to conduct and would provide answers within a few hours, resulting in a more directed use of IAP, and faster treatment to neonates born to GBS positive mothers.