Group B Strep Vaccine Appears Possible

(November 1, 2009) - Scientists say it looks like a vaccine for Group B Streptococcus (GBS) just might work. (Read about "Group B Strep") GBS is the most common cause of sepsis and meningitis (Read about "Sepsis" "Encephalitis & Meningitis") in newborns in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It can also cause severe illness in pregnant women, the elderly and adults with chronic illnesses. Colonization of the genital or gastrointestinal tract is a critical risk factor for infections due to GBS.

The researchers found that the vaccine used in the study can cause a modest but sustained reduction in genital and gastrointestinal GBS bacterial colonization.

The GBS bacterium, which is commonly found in the gut and genital tracts, can infect the fetus during gestation and birth or after delivery. Pregnancy-related infections can lead to serious consequences for women including stillbirth. Currently, one-third of pregnant women in the United States test positive for asymptomatic GBS and receive antibiotics (Read about "Antibiotics") during labor to prevent infection of the newborn. Although this antibiotic strategy is highly effective, the broad use of antibiotics in pregnant women is of concern to public health officials. Many women are allergic (Read about "Allergies") to penicillin and penicillin-type antibiotics that are the preferred treatment, and GBS is increasingly resistant to other common antibiotics.