OBJECTIVE: @entity883 ( @entity883 ) colonization of pregnant @entity1 can lead to subsequent infection of the new-born and potentially fatal invasive disease. Data on @entity883 colonization prevalence and serotype distribution from Africa are scarce, although @entity883 are estimated to contribute substantially to @entity1 mortality. In recent years, @entity883 vaccine candidates provided promising results in phase I and II clinical trials. We aimed to assess the prevalence and serotype distribution of @entity883 in Ghana since this knowledge is a prerequisite for future evaluation of vaccine trials. METHODS: This double-centre study was conducted in one rural and one urban hospital in central Ghana, West Africa. @entity1 in late pregnancy (>= 35 weeks of gestation) attending the antenatal care clinic (ANC) provided recto-vaginal swabs for @entity883 testing. @entity883 isolates were analysed for serotype and antibiotic susceptibility. @entity883 -positive @entity1 were treated with intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) according to current guidelines of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RESULTS: In total, 519 @entity1 were recruited at both study sites, recto-vaginal swabs were taken from 509. The overall prevalence of @entity883 was 19.1% (18.1% in rural Pramso and 23.1% in urban Kumasi, restrospectively). Capsular polysaccharide serotype (CPS) Ia accounted for the most frequent serotype beyond all isolates (28.1%), followed by serotype V (27.1%) and III (21.9%). No resistance to @entity114 was found, resistances to second line antibiotics @entity3402 and @entity2929 were 3.1% and 1%, respectively. DISCUSSION: Group B Streptococcus serotype distribution in Ghana is similar to that worldwide, but variations in prevalence of certain serotypes between the urban and rural study site were high. Antibiotic resistance of @entity883 strains was surprisingly low in this study.

Group B Streptococci serotype distribution in pregnant XXXX in Ghana: assessment of potential coverage through future vaccines.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['women', 'Women', 'infant'] @entity883 :: ('MESH:D013290', 'Disease') :: ['Group B streptococcal', 'GBS-related infections', 'GBS'] @entity114 :: ('MESH:D010406', 'Chemical') :: ['Penicillin'] @entity2929 :: ('MESH:D004917', 'Chemical') :: ['erythromycin'] @entity3402 :: ('MESH:D002981', 'Chemical') :: ['clindamycin']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['women']
