The group B streptococcal disease

Description

Group B strep is a type of bacteria. Another name for this is the Streptococcus agalactiae. It is often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract.

It is usually harmless in healthy adults. But in the newborn can cause a serious illness known as group B strep disease.

Group B strep can also cause infections in adults with certain long-term conditions, such as diabetes or liver disease. Older adults have a higher risk of disease in the group B strep too.

If you are a healthy adult, there's nothing you need to do about streptococcus group B.

If you are pregnant, get a group B strep screening test during the third quarter. If you have this type of bacteria in your body, the medicines called antibiotics during labor to protect your baby.

Symptoms

Babies

The majority of babies born to women carrying group B strep are healthy. But the few that are infected by group B strep during labor can become very sick. Some infections with this type of bacteria can be life-threatening.

In infants, the disease caused by the streptococcus group B can be started within six hours of birth. This is called early onset disease. Or the disease may start weeks or months after birth. This is called late onset of the disease.

Symptoms may include:

  • Fever.
  • Whatw temperature of your body.
  • Feeding problems.
  • Slowness, physical weakness or poor muscle tone.
  • Difficulty breathing.
  • Irritable Behavior.
  • Tremors in the movements.
  • Seizures.
  • Rash.
  • Jaundice.

Adults

Many adults carry group B strep in their bodies and do not have symptoms. More often, the bacteria is carried in the intestine, vagina, rectum, bladder, or throat.

But sometimes, the group B strep can cause a urinary tract infection or other more serious infections. The symptoms of the infections that can be caused by the streptococcus group B include the following:

Urinary tract infection

  • A strong, persistent urge to urinate.
  • A burning sensation or pain when urinating.
  • Of frequent passage of small amounts of urine.
  • Urine that appears red, bright pink or cola-colored — a sign of blood in the urine.
  • Pain in the pelvis.

Infection of the blood of bacteria, also called bacteremia

  • Fever.
  • Chills.
  • Confusion or lack of attention.

Pneumonia

  • Fever.
  • Chills.
  • For cough.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Chest pain when you breathe or cough.

Of the skin or soft tissue infection

  • Swelling, warmth, or a change in color of skin in thearea of the infection.
  • Pain in the area of the infection.
  • The sores with pus or secretion.

Bone or joint infection

  • Fever.
  • Chills.
  • Swelling, warmth, or a change in the color of the skin over the area of the infection.
  • Pain in the area of the infection.
  • The stiffness or no capacity for the use of a limb or joint.

When to see a doctor

If you have symptoms of infection by group B streptococcus, call a member of your health care team right away. This is especially important if you have any of the following risk factors:

  • You're pregnant.
  • You have an ongoing medical condition.
  • It has more than 65 years.

If you believe that your baby has symptoms of group B strep disease, call your healthcare provider immediately.

Causes

Many healthy people carry group B strep bacteria in their bodies. You may have the bacteria in your body for a short time. You can go and come. Or maybe forever. The group B streptococcus bacteria are not spread through sex, food, or water. It is not clear how the bacteria spread to anyone else that the newly-born.

Group B strep can spread to a baby during a vaginal delivery. This happens if the baby is exposed to — or the swallows — the liquid that contains the bacteria.

Risk factors

Babies

A baby who was born prematurely, that is before 37 weeks, you have a higher risk of getting the group B strep of the disease.

A baby of risk also increases if the pregnant parent has:

  • Group B strep in the body.
  • Breaking of the waters of 18 hours or more before the baby is born.
  • An infection of the placenta and the amniotic fluid, called chorioamnionitis.
  • A urinary tract infsection during the pregnancy.
  • A fever of more than 100.4 ° F (38 C) during labor.
  • Previously given birth to a baby with group B strep disease.

Adults

Adults 65 years of age and older have an increased risk of group B strep disease.

The risk is also greater for adults who have a condition that weakens the immune system or other serious diseases, such as:

  • Diabetes.
  • HIV.
  • Disease of the liver.
  • Diseases of the heart.
  • Cancer or a history of cancer.

Complications

Group B strep infection can lead to life-threatening disease in babies, including:

  • Pneumonia.
  • Inflammation of the membranes and fluid that surround the brain and spinal cord, called meningitis.
  • The infection in the bloodstream, called bacteremia.

If you're pregnant, group B strep can cause the following:

  • Urinary tract infection.
  • The infection of the placenta and the amniotic fluid, called chorioamnionitis.
  • The infection of the membrane lining the uterus, which is called endometritis.
  • The bacteremia.

If you are a person of age or has a chronic health condition, group B strep bacteria can lead to any of the following conditions:

  • Infection of the skin.
  • The bacteremia.
  • Urinary tract infection.
  • Pneumonia.
  • Bone and joint infections.
  • The infection of the valves of the heart called endocarditis.
  • Meningitis.

Prevention

If you are pregnant, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend a group B strep screening test during the weeks 36 and 37 of pregnancy. Talk with your health care professional about when to get screened if you live outside of the united states

During the test, a member of your health care team takes you to swab samples from your vagina and rectum. Then, the samples are sent to a lab for analysis.

A "positive" test result means that you take streptococcus group B. This does not mean that you are sick or that the fetus is affected. But you have a greater risk of passing the bacteria to your baby.

The medicine can prevent group B, the bacteria spread to your baby during labor or delivery. An antibiotic through a needle into a vein, also called an IV, is given to you when you go into labor. The antibiotic is usually penicillin or related to the medicine.

If you are allergic to penicillin or related to medications, you may be given other antibiotics such as clindamycin or vancomycin in its place. But it is not clear how well these other antibiotics work.

For that reason, your newborn baby health care team closely watches the health of the baby during 48 hours.

Take antibiotics by mouth before time does not help reduce the risk of transmission of the bacteria to your baby. That's because the bacteria may return before the labor begins.

The antibiotic treatment during the work of labor is also recommended if:

  • You have a urinary tract infection.
  • Given a previous baby with group B strep disease.
  • Fever during labor.
  • You have not given your baby within 18 hours of water breaking.
  • You go into labor before 37 weeks, and hasseen has not been tested for streptococcus group B.

The vaccine in development

Although it is not yet available, researchers are working in a group B streptococcal vaccine. Could help to prevent infections by group B streptococci in the future.

The group B streptococcal disease

Diagnosis

If your newborn baby may have a group B strep disease, a sample of your baby's blood or in cerebrospinal fluid likely to be adopted. A lab checks the sample for the bacteria that causes the infection.

If your baby is sick, the child may be given other tests, including:

  • Urine culture.
  • The Lumbar puncture.
  • X-ray of the chest.

For adults who have an infection, a blood test can determine if group B streptococcus is the cause. The learning of the cause may be important to determine the appropriate treatment.

Treatment

Babies

If your baby tests positive for group B strep, the baby receives INTRAVENOUS antibiotics through a vein. According to the state of her baby, the baby may need intravenous fluids, oxygen or other medications.

Adults

Antibiotics can treat the infection by group B streptococcus in adults. The choice of the antibiotic depends on the location and extent of the infection. It also depends on your specific circumstances.

If you are pregnant and have medical problems due to group B strep is more likely to receive antibiotics by mouth. Most often, you will be given penicillin, amoxicillin (Amoxil, Larotid) or cephalexin. All are considered safe during pregnancy.

Symptoms and treatment of Group B strep disease