Enhanced identification of Group B streptococcus in infants with suspected meningitis in Ethiopia

PLoS One. 2020 Nov 19;15(11):e0242628. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242628. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Meningitis is one of the top ten causes of death among Ethiopian infants. Group B streptococcus (GBS) has emerged as a leading cause of meningitis in neonates and young infants, resulting in high mortality. Despite this, there is no report on GBS associated meningitis in Ethiopia where infant meningitis is common. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the proportion of GBS associated meningitis among Ethiopian infants. PCR was prospectively used to detect GBS in culture-negative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, which were collected from infants suspected for meningitis, at Tikur Anbessa specialized hospital, Ethiopia, over a one-year period. GBS was detected by PCR in 63.9% of culture-negative CSF samples. Out of the 46 GBS positive infants, 10.9% (n = 5) of them died. The late onset of GBS (LOGBS) disease was noted to have a poor outcome with 3 LOGBS out of 5 GBS positive samples collected from patients with the final outcome of death. PCR was advantageous in the identification of GBS in culture-negative CSF samples. GBS was detected in 64% of the CSF samples from infants with meningitis compared with zero-detection rate by culture.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Ethiopia / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Meningitis, Bacterial* / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Meningitis, Bacterial* / epidemiology
  • Meningitis, Bacterial* / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction*
  • Streptococcal Infections* / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Streptococcal Infections* / epidemiology
  • Streptococcal Infections* / genetics
  • Streptococcus agalactiae / genetics*

Grants and funding

Armauer Hansen Research Institute has provided material and technical support. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.