부산대학교 도서관

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the most common cause of sepsis and meningitis in infants under the age of 3 months with a 10% mortality and significant morbidity for many survivors. In the UK, over 40 babies die each year of GBS-related sepsis. Early-onset infection can be prevented in the majority of cases by giving women known to be colonised with GBS intravenous antibiotics during labour, but this requires a screening process which is not currently recommended in the UK. In many countries, including the USA, Canada and much of Europe, screening for GBS colonisation is part of routine antenatal care. This article aims to review the issues surrounding antenatal screening for GBS and argues that we could be doing much more in the UK to prevent this potentially devastating infection in newborn babies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]