Detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) from Antenatal Screening, Maternal GBS Colonization and Incidence of Early-Onset Neonatal Disease (GBS-EOD): A National Survey, December 2022 to February 2023, Italy

Invasive neonatal GBS infections constitute a major cause of sepsis and meningitis in Western countries. Vaginal/rectal GBS colonization during pregnancy is the main risk factor for the development of early-onset infections (GBS-EOD) in newborn by vertical transmission at birth, in addition to prema...

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Main Authors: Michela Sabbatucci, Pierangelo Clerici, Roberta Creti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Microorganisms
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1438
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author Michela Sabbatucci
Pierangelo Clerici
Roberta Creti
author_facet Michela Sabbatucci
Pierangelo Clerici
Roberta Creti
author_sort Michela Sabbatucci
collection DOAJ
description Invasive neonatal GBS infections constitute a major cause of sepsis and meningitis in Western countries. Vaginal/rectal GBS colonization during pregnancy is the main risk factor for the development of early-onset infections (GBS-EOD) in newborn by vertical transmission at birth, in addition to prematurity and stillbirth. In Italy, intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) to prevent GBS-EOD is offered to pregnant women who tested as GBS-positive in late pregnancy. Passive surveillance in Italy showed that a non-negligible number of GBS-EOD cases (about 50%) occurred from GBS-negative pregnant women. This finding prompted the launch of a national online survey from 15 December 2022 to 12 February 2023 to investigate the microbiological procedures followed for GBS identification in Italian public and private microbiology laboratories, the prevalence of maternal GBS colonization, and the incidence of GBS-EOD cases. The survey results demonstrated that national guidelines for the prevention of EOD-GBS cases as well as harmonization of microbiological methodologies for GBS identification in the antenatal screening are needed.
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spelling doaj-art-22a49e72d72049229be7b7440b3f727e2025-08-20T02:47:14ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-06-01137143810.3390/microorganisms13071438Detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) from Antenatal Screening, Maternal GBS Colonization and Incidence of Early-Onset Neonatal Disease (GBS-EOD): A National Survey, December 2022 to February 2023, ItalyMichela Sabbatucci0Pierangelo Clerici1Roberta Creti2Unit 2, Directorate General of Health Emergencies, Department of Prevention, Research and Health Emergencies, Ministry of Health, 00144 Rome, ItalyItalian Clinical Microbiologists Association (AMCLI), 20159 Milano, ItalyAntibiotic-Resistance and Special Pathogens Unit, Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, ItalyInvasive neonatal GBS infections constitute a major cause of sepsis and meningitis in Western countries. Vaginal/rectal GBS colonization during pregnancy is the main risk factor for the development of early-onset infections (GBS-EOD) in newborn by vertical transmission at birth, in addition to prematurity and stillbirth. In Italy, intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) to prevent GBS-EOD is offered to pregnant women who tested as GBS-positive in late pregnancy. Passive surveillance in Italy showed that a non-negligible number of GBS-EOD cases (about 50%) occurred from GBS-negative pregnant women. This finding prompted the launch of a national online survey from 15 December 2022 to 12 February 2023 to investigate the microbiological procedures followed for GBS identification in Italian public and private microbiology laboratories, the prevalence of maternal GBS colonization, and the incidence of GBS-EOD cases. The survey results demonstrated that national guidelines for the prevention of EOD-GBS cases as well as harmonization of microbiological methodologies for GBS identification in the antenatal screening are needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1438group B streptococcusGBS<i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i>neonatal GBS diseaseantibiotic resistanceantenatal GBS screening
spellingShingle Michela Sabbatucci
Pierangelo Clerici
Roberta Creti
Detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) from Antenatal Screening, Maternal GBS Colonization and Incidence of Early-Onset Neonatal Disease (GBS-EOD): A National Survey, December 2022 to February 2023, Italy
Microorganisms
group B streptococcus
GBS
<i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i>
neonatal GBS disease
antibiotic resistance
antenatal GBS screening
title Detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) from Antenatal Screening, Maternal GBS Colonization and Incidence of Early-Onset Neonatal Disease (GBS-EOD): A National Survey, December 2022 to February 2023, Italy
title_full Detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) from Antenatal Screening, Maternal GBS Colonization and Incidence of Early-Onset Neonatal Disease (GBS-EOD): A National Survey, December 2022 to February 2023, Italy
title_fullStr Detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) from Antenatal Screening, Maternal GBS Colonization and Incidence of Early-Onset Neonatal Disease (GBS-EOD): A National Survey, December 2022 to February 2023, Italy
title_full_unstemmed Detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) from Antenatal Screening, Maternal GBS Colonization and Incidence of Early-Onset Neonatal Disease (GBS-EOD): A National Survey, December 2022 to February 2023, Italy
title_short Detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) from Antenatal Screening, Maternal GBS Colonization and Incidence of Early-Onset Neonatal Disease (GBS-EOD): A National Survey, December 2022 to February 2023, Italy
title_sort detection of group b streptococcus gbs from antenatal screening maternal gbs colonization and incidence of early onset neonatal disease gbs eod a national survey december 2022 to february 2023 italy
topic group B streptococcus
GBS
<i>Streptococcus agalactiae</i>
neonatal GBS disease
antibiotic resistance
antenatal GBS screening
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/7/1438
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