Epidemiology of group B streptococcus in Korean pregnant women

Epidemiol Infect. 2010 Feb;138(2):292-8. doi: 10.1017/S0950268809990859. Epub 2009 Sep 28.

Abstract

Between January 2006 and May 2008, 2624 pregnant S. Korean women between 35-37 weeks gestation were screened for group B streptococcus (GBS). Resistance to antimicrobials was tested by disk diffusion and serotype determined using co-agglutination assays and microarray methods. Overall, 8% of pregnant women were colonized. Serotype III was the predominant serotype (43.8%), followed by serotypes V (20.3%), Ia (12.1%), and Ib (9.5%). GBS was frequently resistant to clindamycin (54.0%) and erythromycin (25.6%); 3.7% were resistant to cefazolin. More than three-quarters of serotype V were resistant to clindamycin or erythromycin or both, and 71% of serotype III were resistant to clindamycin but only 12% were resistant to erythromycin. GBS prevalence exceeded earlier reports by one-third. This is the first report of cefazolin resistance in Korea. These results underscore the need to establish screening measures and chemoprophylaxis guidelines regarding GBS infections in Korea.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Korea / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / epidemiology*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / microbiology*
  • Prevalence
  • Streptococcal Infections / epidemiology*
  • Streptococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Streptococcus agalactiae / classification
  • Streptococcus agalactiae / drug effects
  • Streptococcus agalactiae / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents