Diagnostic Evaluation and Risk Factors of Streptococcus Agalactiae Infection among Pregnant Women.

Abstract

Group B streptococcus (GBS) or Streptococcus agalactiae, a Gram-positive bacterium in the gastrointestinal and gastro-urinary tract, is a significant culprit in bacterial infections among parturient mothers and their neonates. It leads to life-threatening situations among the infected despite the current advances in medical care. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors associated with Group B streptococcus colonization and compared different diagnostic approaches among pregnant women attending the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital. The research employed a cross-sectional comparative study of 150 pregnant women between the ages of 15 to 45 years, with a mean of 25.1 (±4.7) each for every trimester. Vaginal swab samples were collected from each participant and sent for microscopy, biochemical testing, culture, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the multiplex primer approach. The study reported a prevalence of 34.7% of GBS infection among the participants using the 16s rRNA PCR sequencing method as the standard. A comparison of the other PCR techniques and the culture method reported that the culture method was insensitive but specific. In all, no significant association was established between the prevalence of infection and the clinical information of participants. GBS was highly prevalent among the participants, and established protocol for diagnosis is urgent to curtail this disease.