Serotypes and clinical manifestations of invasive group B streptococcal infections in western Sweden 1998-2001

• This study monitored the serotypes of Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus; GBS) isolated from invasive infections in western Sweden and investigated possible relationships between serotype, age and clinical manifestations. Invasive GBS isolates were collected prospectively during 1998-2001 at six laboratories, covering two counties with a population of 1.8 million, and were serotyped by coagglutination. Clinical data were obtained from hospital notes. In total, 161 invasive strains (50 from neonates and infants aged < 3 months, and 111 from adults) were serotyped. The commonest serotypes from neonates and infants were serotypes III (60%), V (22%) and Ia (10%), and from adults were serotypes V (42%) and III (25%). Serotype V had doubled in frequency among both children and adults compared to a previous study from the same area in 1988-1997. Most (80%) of the adults had an underlying medical condition. No relationship was found between serotype and clinical manifestations. However, the study demonstrated the importance of active surveillance of GBS serotypes and the difficulties of formulating a multivalent polysaccharide conjugate vaccine against GBS.

Keyword

Adolescent

Adult

Age Distribution

Aged

Aged

80 and over

Child

Child

Preschool

Female

Humans

Infant

Infant

Newborn

Infant

Premature

Infant

Premature

Diseases/*epidemiology/microbiology/*physiopathology

Male

Middle Aged

Population Surveillance

Serotyping

Streptococcal Infections/*epidemiology/microbiology/*physiopathology

Streptococcus agalactiae/*classification/isolation & purification

Sweden/epidemiology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)