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Early Onset GBS Meningitis Drops, Late Onset Jumps
Clin Infect Dis; 2017 Oct 16; Romain, et al
Despite the fact that women receive prophylactic IV antibiotics during labor to prevent Group B Steptococcus (GBS) neonatal bacterial meningitis, the infection remains a concern. A recent study that looked at the incidence of meningitis found the incidence of early onset GBS infection has dropped but the incidence of late onset infection has increased.
- The large-scale analysis found 848 cases of GBS meningitis from 2001 to 2014.
- The incidence of early onset infection decreased by 63.3%.
- The incidence of late onset infection increased by 58.1%
- Researchers also found that mean gestational age dropped significantly for early onset and late onset GBS disease and among infants 3 months to 1 year old.
Romain A-S, Cohen R, Plainvert C, et al. Clinical and laboratory features of Group B Streptococcus meningitis in infants and newborns: Study of 848 cases in France from 2001-2014. Clin Infect Dis. [Published online ahead of print October 16, 2017]. 2017. doi:10.1093/cid/cix896.
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Cerebral Venous Thrombosis & Steroids in Meningitis, Open Forum Infect Dis; 2017 Oct; Gallegos, et al
Early Onset GBS Meningitis Drops, Late Onset Jumps, Clin Infect Dis; 2017 Oct 16; Romain, et al
Better Diagnostic Tests for Histoplasma Meningitis, Clin Infect Dis; 2017 Aug 20; Block, et al
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Cryptococcal Meningitis Takes Toll on HIV Patients, Clin Infect Dis; 2017 Oct 4; Pasquier, et al
Neonatal GBS disease, including meningitis, occurs following two different presentations. Early-onset disease (EOD) occurs following vertical transmission, and can be prevented by intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP). Practice of IAP to pregnant women at risk is efficacious in reducing the incidence of EOD. In contrast, sources of GBS for late-onset disease (LOD) are not clearly delineated and no strategy exists for prevention of LOD. Recent studies have shown an increase in LOD; the reasons for this increase remain unclear and are likely to be multi-factorial. Serotype III strains are predominant for neonatal GBS meningitis, and CC17 strains represent the most frequent clonal complexes.
—Kwang Sik Kim, MD
Director, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD