Maternal Carriage and Neonatal Colonization of Streptococcus agalactiae in Tabriz, Northwest Iran

Group b streptococcus (gbs) is a major cause of severe systemicand local infections in newborns. this study was performedto evaluate the presence of gbs in pregnant women andtheir newborns in tabriz, iran. vaginal specimens were collectedfrom 965 women who were candidate for vaginal deliveryfor bacteriological study of group b streptococci. several samplesfrom various sites of the newborns' body (ear canal, nose, navel,and groin) were also obtained to study the colonization rate innewborns after vaginal delivery. identification of gbs strainswas accomplished by bacteriological and serological tests. duringthe study period, 327 microorganisms were isolated fromvaginal specimens of pregnant women from which 5.2% werestreptococcus agalactiae. serotypes of s. agalactiae strains inour study were ia (17.6%), ib (13.4%), ii (14.2%), iii (9.5%),iv (8.2%), v (19.5%) and nontypable (17.6%). all of the newbornswere followed up for eight weeks. low carriage rate ofgbs in vaginal canal of women in this area and probably lack ofmore virulent serotypes of gbs may explain the rarity of diseasedue to streptococcus agalactiae in our region.