© Shutterstock

What is group B strep? -

Group B streptococcal infection, or simply group B strep (GBS), is a common bacterium and is usually not harmful in healthy adults. 

© Getty Images

Where does it come from? -

The bacterium naturally exists in the gut and lower reproductive tracts of both men and women. 

© Shutterstock

GBS disease -

Most people don't realize they have it. However, sometimes the bacteria invade the body and cause certain infections. GBS infection can cause serious illness and even death. These are known as GBS diseases. 

© Shutterstock

Pregnant women are at risk -

Group B strep is only usually a problem if it affects pregnant women, because it could spread to the baby. 

© Shutterstock 

From mother to child -

Pregnant women can pass the bacteria to their newborns during delivery.

© Shutterstock

Exposure to bacteria -

Most newborns who contract GBS disease in the first week of life are exposed to the bacteria this way. According to the UK's National Health Service (NHS), this happens in about 1 in 1,750 pregnancies. 

© Shutterstock

Risk of serious infection -

If detected in babies and infants, GBS can induce many different types of infections, including sepsis and meningitis. In fact, it is actually one of the most serious disorders that cause newborn illness and death worldwide.

© Shutterstock

Symptoms of GBS -

Confusingly, the symptoms of GBS disease can appear like other health problems in newborns and babies. Typical signs include fever and difficulty breathing. 

© Shutterstock

Other signs -

Irritability or lethargy are other signs that all is not well. If your baby demonstrates limpness or is hard to wake up, this could indicate GBS disease. And look out too for a blue-ish color to skin—another potential indicator of GBS. 

© Shutterstock

Early onset or late onset? -

Symptoms might also include difficulty feeding, jitteriness, and even seizures. It's important to note that besides appearing within six hours of birth (early onset), GBS disease can also appear weeks or months after delivery (late onset). 

© Shutterstock

How is GBS disease detected? -

While it's not usually a condition screened for during pregnancy, if you are pregnant and worried about group B strep, it's advisable to get a GBS screening test during your third trimester, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). 

© Shutterstock

Other tests -

GBS may also be detected during tests carried out for another reason, such as a urine test or vaginal swab.

© Shutterstock

What happens if you have group B strep? -

If you test positive for GBS, don't panic! Doctors usually treat GBS disease with antibiotics. You should also speak with your midwife about your birth plan. The usual recommendation is that you give birth in hospital. 

© Shutterstock

Fighting infection -

Pregnant women who are at increased risk of developing GBS disease will be given antibiotics to help protect the infant from infection, but only if given during labor. Antibiotics cannot be administered before labor begins because the bacteria can grow back quickly.

© Shutterstock

Hospital monitoring -

As a precaution, a newborn suspected of having GBS disease may be monitored in hospital for up to 12 hours to check for any problems. They will also be given antibiotics should the need arise. 

© Shutterstock

Group B Strep in adults -

Group B strep can also cause dangerous infections in adults, especially those with certain chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes or liver disease. 

© Shutterstock

Other risk factors -

In fact, people with conditions that compromise their immune system, disorders that also include heart disease, HIV, obesity, and cancer or history of cancer, are also at risk of developing GBS. 

© Shutterstock

GBS and the elderly -

Risk for serious GBS disease increases as people get older, typically in adults aged 65 and over. 

© Shutterstock

Complications of GBS in adults -

Complications arising from GBS in older adults and those with chronic health conditions include pneumonia, endocarditis, and bacteremia (the presence of bacteria in the bloodstream). Urinary tract infection is commonplace.  

© Shutterstock

How it spreads -

Besides its proven transmission from a mother to her unborn child, GBS may be passed from person to person through direct physical contact, according to Group B Strep Support (GBSS). However, debate still surrounds the exact cause of how GBS is spread. 

© Shutterstock

Food for thought -

There is no evidence, however, to suggest that GBS bacteria is spread through food, water, or anything that infected people might have come into contact with.

© Shutterstock

GBS is not a STD -

And despite its association with the genital tract, GBS is not a sexually transmitted disease. 

© Shutterstock

GBS facts and statistics -

In the United States, GBS bacteria are a leading cause of meningitis and bloodstream infections in a newborn's first three months of life, a fact acknowledged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

© Shutterstock

One in four -

Approximately one in four pregnant women in the United States carry GBS!

© Shutterstock

Age difference -

Medical experts have not yet identified effective ways to prevent GBS disease in people older than one week of age. 

© Shutterstock

Grim statistics -

GBS remains a serious threat. According to statistics published by the CDC, two to three in every 50 babies (4–6%) who develop GBS disease in the US die.

© Shutterstock

Deaths among non-pregnant adults -

On average, about one in 20 non-pregnant adults with serious GBS infections succumb to the disease. 

© Shutterstock

No vaccine -

There are currently no vaccines to prevent group B strep disease, but they are under development.

© Shutterstock

What's the outlook? -

Fortunately, most babies with a group B strep infection make a full recovery if treated. And to reiterate, many people carry GBS in their bodies but do not become ill. 

Sources (NHS) (ACOG) (ACNM) (GBSS) (CDC)

See also: COVID-19 is here to stay: what you need to know

© Shutterstock