Author:

Keywords:

Bacteriological Techniques, Carrier State, Culture Media, Female, Humans, Perineum, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious, Prevalence, RNA, Bacterial, RNA, Ribosomal, 16S, RNA, Transfer, Rectum, Specimen Handling, Streptococcal Infections, Streptococcus agalactiae, Vagina, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Infectious Diseases, CHROMOGENIC AGAR MEDIUM, GRANADA MEDIUM, RECTAL SWABS, IDENTIFICATION, AGALACTIAE, MEDIA, COLONIZATION, BROTH, ENRICHMENT, DISEASE, 0605 Microbiology, 1103 Clinical Sciences, 1108 Medical Microbiology, Microbiology, 3202 Clinical sciences, 3207 Medical microbiology, 4206 Public health

Abstract:

Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus; GBS) is a significant cause of perinatal and neonatal infections worldwide. To detect GBS colonization in pregnant women, the CDC recommends isolation of the bacterium from vaginal and anorectal swab samples by growth in a selective enrichment medium, such as Lim broth (Todd-Hewitt broth supplemented with selective antibiotics), followed by subculture on sheep blood agar. However, this procedure may require 48 h to complete. We compared different sampling and culture techniques for the detection of GBS.