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The Effect of Meconium Staining of Amniotic Fluid on the Growth of Escherichia coli and Group B Streptococcus

Journal of Perinatology volume 22, pages 467–471 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of meconium staining on the growth rate of Escherichia coli and group B streptococci (GBS) in amniotic fluid.

STUDY DESIGN: Sterile meconium was added in different concentrations to pooled sterile amniotic fluid obtained from term mothers. Meconium concentration was equal to: 1, 1.5, 3, 6, and 12 mg meconium/ml amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid was quantitatively inoculated with E. coli and GBS type II and type III organisms (103 organisms/ml). Clear amniotic fluid and Todd-Hewitt broth served as controls. Growth rates of organisms were measured at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 24 hours after inoculation.

RESULTS: Clear amniotic fluid was completely inhibitory for growth of E. coli even after 24 hours of incubation. In contrast, after 6 hours of incubation, significantly increased growth of GBS occurred (105 organisms/ml) (p<0.0001). The inhibitory effect on E. coli was observed even with meconium concentration of up to 1.5 mg/ml. In contrast, even the smallest concentration of meconium (1 mg/ml) resulted in a 2-log fold increase of GBS within 4 hours. The more rapid growth rate of GBS compared to E. coli persisted even at moderate staining of amniotic fluid (6 mg/ml) in the first 8 hours of incubation (p<0.005). In the presence of thick meconium (12 mg/ml), during the first 6 hours of incubation, the growth rates of GBS and E. coli were nearly similar.

CONCLUSIONS: GBS (type II and III) growth, in contrast to E. coli, was less inhibited by amniotic fluid, occurred at a more rapid rate, and was enhanced at lower concentrations of meconium. As such, the presence of even light meconium staining in cases of rupture of membranes of even less than 6 hours in a mother who is a GBS carrier should be considered as a risk factor for the development of perinatal GBS infection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neonatology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, and Ben Gurion University School of Medicine, Beersheva, Israel

    Arthur I Eidelman MD, Ayelet Nevet MD, Cathy Hammerman MD & Michael S Schimmel MD

  2. Department of Microbiology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, and Ben Gurion University School of Medicine, Beersheva, Israel

    Bernard Rudensky PhD & David Raveh MD

  3. Department of Obstetrics, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Hebrew University School of Medicine, Jerusalem, and Ben Gurion University School of Medicine, Beersheva, Israel

    Ron Rabinowitz MD

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  1. Arthur I Eidelman MD
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Eidelman, A., Nevet, A., Rudensky, B. et al. The Effect of Meconium Staining of Amniotic Fluid on the Growth of Escherichia coli and Group B Streptococcus. J Perinatol 22, 467–471 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210774

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