Group B streptococcal infections

Group B streptococcal disease remains a prominent cause of infectious morbidity in pregnant women and their infants. This article highlights recent developments that are relevant for obstetricians, perinatologists, and neonatologists caring for patients with group B streptococcal disease. The morbidity of group B streptococcal infections in pregnancy and the proposed association of colonization with adverse pregnancy outcome is discussed, as is the emergence of serotype V and the impact of late, late-onset disease for infants. Finally, the recently proposed guidelines for intrapartum chemoprophylaxis are summarized. implementation of the guidelines should have substantial impact on reduction of early-onset group B streptococcal infections in infancy.