Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Comparison of Culture and PCR Methods for Diagnosis of Group B Streptococcus in Women


Affiliations
1 Department of Microbiology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran, Islamic Republic of
2 Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran, Islamic Republic of
3 Department of Microbiology, Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran, Islamic Republic of
4 Student Research Committee, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, Islamic Republic of
5 School of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch, Sari, Iran, Islamic Republic of
 

Group B Streptococcus (GBS), as a risk factor for newborns, is one of the most important causes of meningitis and septicaemia in newborns, intrauterine infections in women and colonization in the vaginal region in late gestation. We evaluate GBS prevalence and infection among pregnant women through culture and PCR methods, and then compare these methods. To this end, vaginal and urine swabs were separately collected from 246 women at the Women’s Hospital of Sari, Iran. Next, the samples were enriched in selective culture media Todd–Hewitt broth for 24 h at 37°C, recognized using blood agar media, and finally were amplified STREP gene by PCR technique. The indicated that the frequency of GBS in samples collected from urine and vaginal cultures and PCR method was positive. In addition, no significant relationship was found among the positive results of culture, maternal age, gestational age, a history of abortion and infection. With regard to the cultivation method as a standard technique, the sensitivity of PCR test was 100% and specificity was 96%. Moreover, it was found that the colonization rate of GBS in women was significant in Sari. Therefore, PCR is recommended as a reliable and rapid method for detection of GBS.

Keywords

Culture, Detection, Group B Streptococcus, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Women, Pregnancy.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Honig, E., Mouton, J. W. and Van der Meijden, W. I., The epidemiology of vaginal colonization with group B streptococci in a sexually transmitted disease clinic. Eur. J. Obstet. Gynecol. Reprod. Biol., 2002, 105, 177–180.

  • Edwards, M. S. and Baker, C. J., Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptocuccus). In Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases (eds Mandell, G. L., Bennet, J. E. and Dolin, R.), 7th edn, Elsevier, 2010.

  • Sendi, P., Johansson, L. and Norrby-Teglund, A., Invasive Group B streptococcal disease in non-pregnant adults. Infection, 2008, 36–100.

  • Lopez Sastre, J. B., Fernandez Colomer, B., Coto Cotallo, G. D., Ramos Aparicio, A. and Castrillo, G. H., Trends in the epidemiology of neonatal sepsis of vertical transmission in the era of group B streptococcal prevention. Acta Paediatr., 2005, 94, 451–457.

  • Regan, J. A., Klebanoff, M. A. and Nugent, R. P., The epidemiology of group B streptococcal colonization in pregnancy. Vaginal Infections and Prematurity Study Group. Obstet. Gynecol., 1991, 77, 604–610.

  • Melin, P., Neonatal group B streptococcal disease: from pathogenesis to preventive strategies. Clin. Microbiol. Infect., 2011, 17, 1294–1303.

  • Hutto, C., Group B streptococcus. In Congenital and Perinatal Infections (ed. Hutto, C.), Humana Press, New Jersey, 2006, 1st edn, pp. 217–222.

  • Hoepelman, A. I. M., Kroes, A. C. M., Sauerwein, R. W. and Verbrugh, H. A., Microbiologie eninfectieziekten; derde, herzienedruk. Houten: Bohn Stafleu Van Loghum, 2011, p. 393.

  • Yagupsky, P., Menegus, M. A. and Powell, K. R., The changing spectrum of group B streptococcal disease in infants: an eleven-year experience in a tertiary care hospital. Pediatr. Infect Dis J., 1991, 10, 801–808.

  • Hood, M., Janney, A. and Damerom, G., Beta hemolytic streptococcus group B associated with problems of the perinatal period. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 1961, 82, 809–818.

  • Schuchat, A., Epidemiology of group B Streptococcal disease in the United States: shifting paradigms. Clin. Microbiol. Rev., 1998, 3, 497–513.

  • Schrag, S., Gorwitz, R., Fultz-Butts, K. and Schuchat, A., Prevention of perinatal group B Streptococcal disease. MMWR Recomm. Rep., 2002, 11, 1–22.

  • Costa, A. L. et al., Prevalence of colonization by group B Streptococcus in pregnant women from a public maternity of Northwest region of Brazil. Rev. Bras. Ginecol. Obstet., 2008, 30, 274–280.

  • Campbell, J. R. et al., Group B Streptococcal colonization and serotype-specific immunity in pregnant women at delivery. Obstet. Gynacol., 2000, 4, 498–503.

  • Tolosa, J. E. et al., The International Infections in Pregnancy (IIP) study: variations in the prevalence of bacterial vaginosis and distribution of morphotypes in vaginal smears among pregnant women. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol., 2006, 5, 1198–1204.

  • Votava, M., Tejkalova, M., Drabkova, M., Unzeitig, V. and Braveny, I., Use of GBS media for rapid detection of group B Streptococci in vaginal and rectal swabs from women in labor. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis., 2001, 2, 120–122.

  • Schrag, S. R., Grwitz, K., Bultz-Butts, F. and Schuchuchat, A., Prevention of perinatal group B Streptoccoccal disease. Revised guidelines from CDC. Morb. Mortal Wkly. Rep. Recomm. Rep., 2005, 51, 1–22.

  • Ke, D., Menard, C., Picard, F. J., Boissinot, M., Ouellette, M., Roy, P. and Bergeron, M. G., Development of conventional and real-time PCR assays for the rapid detection of group B streptococci. Clin. Chem., 2000, 46, 324–331.

  • Aziz, N. et al., Comparison of rapid intrapartum screening methods for group B streptococcal vaginal colonization. J. Matern. Fetal Neonatal Med., 2005, 18, 225–229.

  • Aali, B. S., Abdollahi, H., Nakhaee, N., Davazdahemami, Z. and Mehdizadeh, A., The association of preterm labor with vaginal colonization of group B streptococci. IJRM, 2007, 4, 191–194.

  • Namavar Jahromi, B., Poorarian, S. and Poorbarfehee, S., The prevalence and adverse effects of group B Streptococcal colonization during pregnancy. Arch. Iran Med., 2008, 6, 654–657.

  • Nakhaei Moghaddam, M., Recto-vaginal colonization of Group B Streptococcus in pregnant women referred to a hospital in Iran and its effect on Lactobacillus normal flora. J. Biol. Sci., 2010, 1, 166–169.

  • Fatemi, F., Pakzad, P., Zeraati, H., Talebi, S., Asgari, S. and Akhondi, M. M., Comparative molecular and microbiologic diagnosis of vaginal colonization by Group B streptococcus in pregnant women during labor. Iran. J. Basic Med. Sci., 2010, 13(4), 183–188.

  • Gil, E. G., Rodriguez, M. C., Bartolome, R., Berjano, B., Cabero, L. and Andreu, A., Evaluation of the Granada agar plate for detection of vaginal and rectal group B streptococci in pregnant women. J. Clin. Microbiol., 1999, 8, 2648–2651.

  • Islam, A. K., Rapid recognition of group-B streptococci. Lancet, 1977, 8005, 256–257.

  • Eren, A., Kucukercon, M., Oguzoglu, N., Unal, N. and Karateke, A., The carriage of group B streptococci in Turkish pregnant women and its transmission rate in newborns and serotype distribution. Turk. J. Pediater., 2005, 1, 28–33.

  • Uhi, J. R., Vetter, E. A., Boldt, K. L., Johnston, B. W. and Ramin, K. D., Use of the Roche Light Cycler Strep B assay for detection of group B streptococcus from vaginal and rectal swabs. J. Clin. Microbiol., 2005, 43(8), 4046–4051.

  • Valkenburg-van den Berg, A. W., Sprij, A. J., Dekker, F. W., Dφrr, P. J. and Kanhai, H. H., Association between colonization with group B streptococcus and preterm delivery: a systematic review. Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Scand., 2009, 9, 958–967.

  • Motlova, J., Strakova, L., Urbaskova, P., Sak, P. and Sever, T., Vaginal and rectal carriage of Streptococcus agalactiae in the Czech Republic: incidence, serotypes distribution & susceptibility to antibiotics. J. Indian J. Med. Res., 2004, 119, 84–87.

  • Mozafari, A., Ghanaei, M., Sadr Nori, B. and Farhadi, L., Group B streptococcus prevalence in pregnant women between 28–37 week gestations. J. Gilan Med. Univ., 2005, 59, 91–96 (in Persian).


Abstract Views: 370

PDF Views: 120




  • Comparison of Culture and PCR Methods for Diagnosis of Group B Streptococcus in Women

Abstract Views: 370  |  PDF Views: 120

Authors

Mohtaram Nasrollahi
Department of Microbiology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Masoud Moghadaszadeh
Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Maryam Abdollahi
Department of Microbiology, Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Zeynab Marzhoseyni
Department of Microbiology, Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Maryam Salehian
Department of Microbiology, Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Eisa Nazar
Student Research Committee, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Shukufe Sharif
School of Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Sari Branch, Sari, Iran, Islamic Republic of
Behnam Hashemi
Department of Microbiology, Student Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran, Islamic Republic of

Abstract


Group B Streptococcus (GBS), as a risk factor for newborns, is one of the most important causes of meningitis and septicaemia in newborns, intrauterine infections in women and colonization in the vaginal region in late gestation. We evaluate GBS prevalence and infection among pregnant women through culture and PCR methods, and then compare these methods. To this end, vaginal and urine swabs were separately collected from 246 women at the Women’s Hospital of Sari, Iran. Next, the samples were enriched in selective culture media Todd–Hewitt broth for 24 h at 37°C, recognized using blood agar media, and finally were amplified STREP gene by PCR technique. The indicated that the frequency of GBS in samples collected from urine and vaginal cultures and PCR method was positive. In addition, no significant relationship was found among the positive results of culture, maternal age, gestational age, a history of abortion and infection. With regard to the cultivation method as a standard technique, the sensitivity of PCR test was 100% and specificity was 96%. Moreover, it was found that the colonization rate of GBS in women was significant in Sari. Therefore, PCR is recommended as a reliable and rapid method for detection of GBS.

Keywords


Culture, Detection, Group B Streptococcus, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Women, Pregnancy.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv114%2Fi08%2F1738-1741