streptococcus agalactiae early neonatal disease in a nursery, neonatal and maternal risk factors associated with severity and mortality

Maternal colonization of group B Streptococcus (GBS) in developing countries is 4-20%, 50% of their children born colonized and 1-2% develop invasive disease at high risk of mortality and sequelae. Objective: determine maternal-fetal risk factors associated with severe disease and mortality of GBS in a neonatal nursery. Materials and methods: an observational study of historical cohort during a period of 2 years. It took eleven cases with invasive disease and fifteen controls. We calculated absolute and relative frequencies and associations were sought by calculating the statistic chi2. Results: The predictive maternal factors included GBS disease, peripartum fever greater than 37.5 degrees Celsius (p < 0.05), chorioamnionitis and rupture of membranes more than 18 hours (p < 0.05). Neonatal risk factors included prematurity (< 37 weeks) and low birth weight (< 2500 grams) (p < 0.05). We found a mortality of 5 (45%). Conclusions: There was a statistically significant relationship between maternal chorioamnionitis, rupture of membranes more than 18 hours, prematurity and low birth weight with disease severity and mortality. The estimated incidence of neonatal infection in the nursery was 1.8 per 1000 live births and maternal colonization was 4.3 cases per 1000 maternal. Further studies should be conducted in the country to establish the true incidence of neonatal GBS disease and do research on cost-effectiveness of preventive measures.