Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia, Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
Review Article
Group B Streptococcal Colonization and Intrapartum Antibiotics: Why a Vaccine is Urgently Needed
Author(s): Philip Kum-Nji*
The importance of global group B streptococcal (GBS) colonization during pregnancy is briefly reviewed in this
short article. About 20% all pregnant women worldwide are colonized with this organism necessitating the use of
intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) in order to prevent neonatal GBS disease. In some geographic regions rates
of colonization are as high as 35%. Such a high rate of IAP is shown to be concerning because of childhood adverse
effects. We briefly summarize 5 main childhood adverse outcomes from IAP which include antibiotic resistance,
the development of various atopic diseases, dysbyosis, obesity, and impaired immune function. Finally, the article
clearly lists 4 reasons why a GBS vaccine is specifically urgently needed in order to curb the often unnecessary if not
dangerous use of IAP to prevent against the onset of neonatal GBS disease. It.. View more»