The incidence of group B streptococcus in the vaginal tracts of pregnant women in central Alabama.

Group B streptococcus (Streptococcus agalactiae) or GBS is the most common cause of neonatal sepsis and meningitis in the United States. One important risk factor for infants who acquire GBS is maternal colonization. Colonization rates have been estimated in various studies to be between 15% and 35% of pregnant women. Colonization rates for black women have also been shown to be higher than for non-blacks. Local data were collected and compared to those of other studies. Of the pregnant women in this study overall, 22.76% tested positive for GBS. Black women were colonized by GBS (35.71%) significantly more often than non-black women (19.84%; G = 8.9729, p < 0.00274). Generalized linear models were used to examine age and race. Both maternal age and the interaction of maternal race and age as predictors of infection were ruled out, leaving only race as a significant predictor of colonization.