Group B Streptococcus detection: comparison of PCR assay and culture as a screening method for pregnant women

Streptococcus agalactiae or group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most important causal agents of serious neonatal infections. Numerous assays have been evaluated for GBS screening in order to validate a fast and efficient method. The aim of this study was to compare the culture technique (estab...

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Published inThe Brazilian journal of infectious diseases Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 323 - 327
Main Authors de-Paris, Fernanda, Machado, Alice Beatriz Mombach Pinheiro, Gheno, Tailise Conte, Ascoli, Bruna Maria, Oliveira, Kátia Ruschel Pilger de, Barth, Afonso Luis
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Portuguese
Published Brazilian Society of Infectious Diseases 01.08.2011
Elsevier
Subjects
culture
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
polymerase chain reaction
pregnancy
Streptococcus agalactiae
Streptococcus agalactiae
culture
polymerase chain reaction
pregnancy
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Summary:Streptococcus agalactiae or group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the most important causal agents of serious neonatal infections. Numerous assays have been evaluated for GBS screening in order to validate a fast and efficient method. The aim of this study was to compare the culture technique (established as the gold standard) with the molecular method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with specific primers (atr gene). Two hundred and sixty-three samples were analyzed. Vaginal samples were collected, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, from women over 35 weeks of pregnancy at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA). Two different extraction methods were tested in all samples collected. PCR technique yielded 71 (26.99%) positive results. Sensitivity and specificity for PCR were 100% and 86.88%, respectively. PCR demonstrated a shorter turnaround time than the culture. The molecular methodology proved to be a useful screening for GBS, allowing effective treatment to be initiated in shorter time to prevent newborn infection.
ISSN:1413-8670
1678-4391
DOI:10.1590/S1413-86702011000400004