Group B Streptococcal Colonization in African Countries: Prevalence, Capsular Serotypes, and Molecular Sequence Types.

ABSTRACT: Streptococcus agalactiae or group B streptococcus (GBS) is a commensal of the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts of healthy women and an important cause of neonatal invasive infections worldwide. Transmission of bacteria to the newborn occurs at birth and can be prevented by intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. However, this not available in resource limited settings in Africa, which carries a particular high burden of disease. Serotype based vaccines are in development and present a suitable alternative to prevent neonatal infections. To be able to assess vaccine efficacy, knowledge and surveillance of GBS epidemiological data are required. This review summarizes investigations about the serotype distribution and the multi-locus sequence types (MLST) found in different African count

SUBMITTER: Shabayek S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8706430 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature