Volume 27, Number 9—September 2021
CME ACTIVITY - Research
Maternal Carriage in Late-Onset Group B Streptococcus Disease, Italy
, Caterina Spada, Roberta Creti, Cinzia Auriti, Lucia Gambini, Vittoria Rizzo, Mariagrazia Capretti, Nicola Laforgia, Irene Papa, Anna Tarocco, Angela Lanzoni, Giacomo Biasucci, Giancarlo Piccinini, Giovanna Nardella, Giuseppe Latorre, Daniele Merazzi, Laura Travan, Maria Letizia Bacchi Reggiani, Lorenza Baroni, Matilde Ciccia, Laura Lucaccioni, Lorenzo Iughetti, and Licia Lugli
Table 2
Maternal cultures of group B Streptococcus, Italy*
| Culture | Preterm cases, n = 18 | Missed cases | Full-term cases, n = 80 | Missed cases | p value | Total cases, n = 98 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cultures before delivery | ||||||
| VR tested | 18 (100) | 0 | 80 (100) | 0 | NA | 98 (100) |
| Positive culture | 8 (44.4) | 0 | 35 (43.8) | 0 | 0.83 | 43 (43.9) |
| Urine tested | 18 (100) | 0 | 74 (92.5) | 6 | 0.51 | 92 (93.9) |
| GBS bacteriuria† |
0 (0) |
0 |
2 (2.7) |
0 |
0.85 |
2 (2.2) |
| Cultures at onset of LOD | ||||||
| VR tested | 18 (100) | 0 | 80 (100) | 0 | NA | 98 (100) |
| Positive culture | 7 (38.9) | 0 | 51 (63.8) | 0 | 0.09 | 58 (59.2) |
| Urine tested | 18 (100) | 0 | 72 (90.0) | 8 | 0.36 | 90 (91.8) |
| GBS bacteriuria† | 5 (27.8) | 0 | 12 (16.7) | 0 | 0.46 | 17 (18.9) |
| Breast milk tested‡ | 15 (83.3) | 3 | 68 (85.0) | 12 | 0·85 | 83 (84.7) |
| Positive culture† | 2 (13.3) | 0 | 15 (22.1) | 0 | 0.69 | 17 (20.5) |
*Values are no. (%) except as indicated. Samples were obtained during pregnancy (urine), at prenatal screening (VR), and at onset of LOD (urine, VR, and breast milk). GBS, group B Streptococcus; LOD, late-onset disease; NA, not assessable; VR, vaginal/rectal. †Percentage and significance are calculated based on the patients who were tested. ‡Among 18 preterm neonates, 7 were exclusively fed breast milk (1 positive culture), 7 were fed pump-extracted milk (1 positive culture), 2 were fed formula milk, 1 was fed mixed breastmilk (missing culture), and 1 was fed donor human milk. Among 80 full-term neonates, 58 were exclusively fed breast milk (14 positive cultures and 1 missing culture), and 10 were fed mixed breast milk (1 positive culture and 1 missing culture).