urinary tract infections caused by group b streptococcus in adult women: survey of 11800 urine culture results

background and objective:  early diagnosis of streptococcus agalactiae remains difficult, since symptoms are very nonspecific. its frequency has not been completely investigated in urinary tract pathogen of pregnant ant and non pregnant women in iran. the aim of this study was determining the frequency of group b streptococci in female patients. materials and methods: a total of 11800 urine specimens were received from female out-patients admitted during june till december 2010. group b streptococci isolates were confirmed by typical colony morphology, and identified by differential tests as well as by the growth characteristics in chromoagar. a provisional urinary tract infection diagnosis was defined by the presence of single group b streptococci (>10 cfu/liter) with at least one of urinary tract infection symptom. susceptibility testing was carried out by disk diffusion method. results: of all specimens 498 specimens (4.22%) yielded significant bacteriuria caused by group b streptococci. the mean age of these patients were 26.6 + 19.37. pregnant patients were 3.82% and the rest were non-pregnant. antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that vancomycin, clindamycin and cefazolin had the lowest and penicillin showed the highest resistant rate. conclusion: pattern onantibiotic susceptibility test showed high resistant rate to some antibiotic that made it difficult for pregnant patients, although its frequency was low.  it was not possible to compare the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of pregnant women with non-pregnant because of the low number of pregnant women registered in this study.