The Effect of Universal Maternal Screening on the Incidence of Neonatal Early-Onset Group B Streptococcal Disease

Objective To determine the effect of the revised guidelines on incidence of neonatal early-onset group B streptococcal disease (EoGBS) via retrospective analysis of births in a military population. Methods Information from records of all live births within military hospitals from 1993 to 2007 was obtained. The data were divided into three time frames, representing the evolution of identifying and managing at-risk deliveries for GBS transmission. Results Incidence of EoGBS decreased from 1.95 to 0.72 per 1000 live births following institution of the 1996 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations and continued to fall to 0.47 per 1000 since the adoption of universal screening in 2002. Conclusions Universal culture-based screening is more effective than risk-based screening in preventing EoGBS in term infants. Cases of EoGBS continue to occur, however, at a baseline rate of nearly 0.5 per 1000 births, thus emphasizing the need for rapid diagnostics and ultimately a vaccine.