GBS in adult population:
- There are 10 cases in every 100,000 non-pregnant adults each year.
- There are 25 cases in every 100,000 adults 65 years or older each year.
Group B Streptococcus Infection
General Information
Bacteria called group B Streptococcus (GBS) commonly live in people’s gastrointestinal and genital tracts. Most of the time the bacteria are not harmful and do not make people feel sick or have any symptoms. Sometimes the bacteria invade the body and cause certain infections, which are known as GBS disease. GBS disease is more common in newborns.
Currently, no vaccine is licensed for the prevention of GBS.
Transmission
The route of transmission is unknown. However, babies could get GBS during the first week of life of exposed to it during the delivery.
Symptoms
GBS bacteria can cause many types of infections:
- Bacteraemia (bloodstream infection) and sepsis (the body’s extreme response to an infection)
- Bone and joint infections
- Meningitis (infection of the tissue covering the brain and spinal cord)
- Pneumonia (lung infection)
- Skin and soft-tissue infections
Babies may have long-term problems, such as deafness and developmental disabilities, due to having GBS disease.
Epidemiology
2 to 3 in every 50 babies (4% to 6%) who develop GBS disease will die.
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