Carriage rate of group B streptococci in pregnant women in three teaching hospitals in Shiraz, Iran.

OBJECTIVE The main goal of this study was to assess differences in the vaginal flora of pregnant women and provide a detailed evaluation of vaginal swabs for the presence of group B streptococcus (GBS) and other organisms in three teaching hospitals in Shiraz, southwest of Iran. SUBJECTS AND METHODS In a cross-sectional study from April 2006 to March 2007, 310 women with vaginal delivery at three obstetric wards of teaching hospitals in Shiraz were studied. Swab specimens from the vagina and rectum were collected and were examined bacteriologically. All of the newborns were followed up for 3 months. RESULTS Of 310 pregnant women, 43 (13.8%) were colonized with GBS. There were no differences between GBS carriers and GBS-negative women in risk factors like preterm rupture of membranes (p = 0.77) and preterm labor (p = 0.53). One neonate was hospitalized due to meningitis and GBS was detected in CSF culture and Gram staining. CONCLUSION Our data showed that the prevalence of GBS carriage rate in pregnant women in Shiraz, Iran was high. The poor correlation between risk factors and GBS carriage requires further investigation in larger groups.