Original Research

Group B streptococcus colonisation in pregnant women at Dr. George Mukhari Hospital, South Africa

M. C. Monyama, J. Y. Bolukaoto, M. O. Chukwu, M. R.B. Maloba, S. R. Moyo, R. T. Mavenyengwa, M. Nchabeleng, S. L. Lebelo
Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases | Vol 31, No 3 | a81 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajid.v31i3.81 | © 2019 M. C. Monyama, J. Y. Bolukaoto, M. O. Chukwu, M. R.B. Maloba, S. R. Moyo, R. T. Mavenyengwa, M. Nchabeleng, S. L. Lebelo | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 15 May 2019 | Published: 01 October 2016

About the author(s)

M. C. Monyama, Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa (UNISA), Florida, South Africa
J. Y. Bolukaoto, Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa (UNISA), Florida, South Africa
M. O. Chukwu, Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa (UNISA), Florida, South Africa
M. R.B. Maloba, Department of Microbiological Pathology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
S. R. Moyo, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia
R. T. Mavenyengwa, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences, Namibia University of Science and Technology, Windhoek, Namibia; Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences, Harare, Zimbabwe
M. Nchabeleng, Department of Microbiological Pathology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africa
S. L. Lebelo, Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa (UNISA), Florida, South Africa

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to estimate group B streptococcus (GBS) colonisation in pregnant mothers using selective enrichment broth and solid media for culturing GBS. Vaginal and rectal swabs were collected from 413 pregnant women for GBS culture at recruitment stage. Direct plating and enrichment broth culture methods were compared by using the same swab samples. The swabs were cultured on colistin nalidixic agar (CNA) plate and incubated at 37°C and examined after 18-24 h. The samples which were culture negative on a CNA agar plate were then inoculated into a Todd-Hewitt enrichment broth to recover any GBS present that was not recovered on the solid agar. With the CNA agar plate, the samples were cultured separately to enable identification of colonised sites such as vaginal sites or rectal sites. Rectal and vaginal swabs were inoculated into Todd-Hewitt enrichment broth at the same time in the same tube. The GBS colonisation rate in pregnant women was 30.9% (128/413). The CNA agar plate recovered 45.3% (58/128) of the GBS isolates, whereas 54.7% (70/128) isolates were recovered from Todd-Hewitt broth. Pregnant women of various ages were found to be at risk of GBS colonisation. The colonisation rate was however highest among women of 25–29 age groups as compared with other age groups. Detection of group B streptococcus improved when both rectal and vaginal swabs were collected for laboratory analysis. The simultaneous use of Todd-Hewitt broth and CNA plate also improved the yield of group B streptococcus.


Keywords

colonisation; detection methods; Group B streptococcus; pregnant women

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