Korean J Pediatr Infect Dis.  1999 Nov;6(2):194-202. 10.14776/kjpid.1999.6.2.194.

Clinical Features of Group B β-hemolytic Streptococcal Infection in Infants and Children

• Kim YK
• Kwak YH
• Kim YJ
• Jung HS
• Hong JY
• Lee HJ

• KMID: 2440257
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14776/kjpid.1999.6.2.194

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Group B β-hemolytic Streptococcus(GBS) has been the major pathogen of neonatal sepsis in western country. In contrast, GBS has played little role in neonatal sepsis in Korea. But recently, neonatal GBS infections are encountered more frequently, It is important to characterize the clinical and epidemiological features of GBS infection in Korean children.
METHODS
We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of twenty-seven infants and children with GBS infection experienced at the Seoul National University Children's Hospital during 14 year-period from June, 1985 to June, 1999. Fourteen strains isolated from blood and cerebrospinal fluid were serotyped. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of 10 strains were determined by agar dilution method for penicillin, ampicillin, ampicillin with sulbactam, cefazolin, cefuroxime, and ceftriaxone.
RESULTS
The numbers of cases with GBS infection increased in 1990s. Among twenty -seven cases, twenty-five cases were under three months of age and both of two cases with underlying disease occurred at three years of age. All neonatal infections were late-onset type and meningitis predominated. Serotypes were III(6 strain), Ib(4), Ia(1) and V(2). All of the strain were susceptible to all of the antibiotics tested.
CONCLUSION
GBS infections in infants were increasingly recognized. GBS should be considered as an etiological agent of neonatal sepsis or meningitis in Korea. Maternal screening and prophylactic antibiotic therapy may be considered.

Keyword

Group B β-hemolytic Streptococcal infection; Neonatal sepsis; Neonatal meningitis

MeSH Terms

Agar
Ampicillin
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Cefazolin
Ceftriaxone
Cefuroxime
Cerebrospinal Fluid
Child*
Humans
Infant*
Korea
Mass Screening
Medical Records
Meningitis
Methods
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Penicillins
Retrospective Studies
Seoul
Sepsis
Serogroup
Streptococcal Infections*
Sulbactam
Agar
Ampicillin
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Cefazolin
Ceftriaxone
Cefuroxime
Penicillins
Sulbactam