First six cases of neonatal group B B haemolytic streptococcal sepsis in GHKL & Maternity Hospital K.L. were reported and in one third, it was fatal. Five of the cases were 'early onset' type and one was 'late onset' type. While maternal infant transmission of the disease is important in the 'early onset' type, environmental sources of infection are also significant. No gestational age or birth...

Streptococcus porcinus is usually associated with swine. Because we have received several isolates from human sources that had cross-reacted with commercial group B streptococcal reagents, we examined several commercial kits to determine the extent of this cross-reaction. Fifteen reference and 15 clinical strains of S. porcinus were tested for cross-reactions with group B streptococcal reagents...

Since the 1980s there has been a marked increase in the recognition and reporting of highly invasive group A streptococcal infections with or without necrotizing fasciitis associated with shock and organ failure. Such dramatic cases have been defined as streptococcal toxic-shock syndrome. Strains of group A streptococci isolated from patients with invasive disease have been predominantly M type...

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of 192 group B streptococcal isolates from patients with invasive disease demonstrated that 31 (16%) were resistant to erythromycin and 17 (9%) were resistant to clindamycin. One isolate demonstrated high-level resistance to streptomycin, but none was highly resistant to gentamicin. Erythromycin and clindamycin are no longer reliable empirical alternatives t...