Incidence and anti-microbial resistance profile of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection in pregnant women in Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria

This study was performed to determine the incidence and antimicrobial resistance profile of Group B Streptococcus in pregnant women in Nsukka, Enugu State. From January 2010 to July 2011, vaginal swab and rectal swab samples were obtained from 200 pregnant women of gestational age from 24 to 37 weeks that were attending antenatal clinic at Bishop Shanahan Memorial Hospital and Nsukka District Hospital. Vaginal and rectal cultures for the isolation and identification of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) were carried out according to standard microbiological methods. The Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion method was employed to determine antibiograms of GBS isolates. Samples were also obtained from 200 non-pregnant women. The carriage rate of GBS among pregnant women was 18.00%, while in non-pregnant women it was 5.5%. Statistical analyses proved the difference to be significant (P<0.05). A total of 58 GBS isolates were used for in vitro susceptibility test to ampicillin and cloxacillin, amoxycillin, cefuroxine, ceftriaxone, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, streptomycin, Pefloxacin, sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprim and gentamycin. No resistance to Ampicillin and Cloxacillin, amoxycillin, cefuroxine and ceftriaxone was found. Of the isolates examined, 6.70, 8.62, 8.62, 18.95, 32.75, 50.00% were resistance to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, pefloxacin, streptomycin, sulphamethoxazole and trimethoprin and gentamycin, respectively.   Key words: Group B Streptococcus (GBS), incidence, anti-microbial resistance profiles, pregnant women, Nsukka.