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  • Letter to the Editor
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Group B Streptococcal Sepsis

Journal of Perinatology volume 22, pages 428–429 (2002)Cite this article

Dear Editor:

I am writing in response to the article “Early-Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Sepsis: Intrapartum Antibiotic Prophylaxis in the Clinical Setting” (Journal of Perinatology, 21, 9–14). Findings in the article demonstrated that intrapartum antibiotics are effective in preventing early-onset neonatal group B streptococcal infection (GBS).1 However, the authors' conclusion was not made based on the outcomes of those infants whose mothers were screened for GBS infection. Instead, when reviewing the charts, an additional 11 infants were found to develop GBS infection, with six of these mothers of unknown GBS status. The article highlights the difficulties of treating GBS-positive women based on the current screening guidelines. Therefore, the purpose of this letter is to advocate for a universal screening approach.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. MSN Student, UNC-CH, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2201-B Eider Ct., Graham, 27253, NC, USA

    Virginia R Gamble RN, BSN

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  1. Virginia R Gamble RN, BSN
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Comment from the Editor:

At present, the CDC is reconsidering its recommendation of the culture and risk evaluation methods. The CDC is likely to recommend only universal culture screening in the last weeks of pregnancy in order to determine use of maternal prophylactic antibiotics.

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Gamble, V. Group B Streptococcal Sepsis. J Perinatol 22, 428–429 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210760

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