Prophylaxis for early onset group B streptococcal sepsis is not so effective in practice

doi:10.1136/bmj.325.7371.1037

BMJ 2002;325:1037 ( 2 November )

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Prophylaxis for early onset group B streptococcal sepsis is not so effective in practice

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EDITOR $---$ Oddie and Embleton highlight the dangers of and risk factors for early onset group B streptococcal sepsis.¹ Theyanalysed their data retrospectively and estimate that most cases(78%) could have received effective antenatal or intrapartum prophylaxisbut accept that this interpretation might be anoverestimate.

This maternity unit recently introduced a protocol for selective intrapartum prophylaxis against group B streptococcal infectionon the basis of recognised clinical risk factors and subsequentlyaudited our practice with respect to whether eligible women receivedadequate prophylaxis or not.² Over an initial four week period37 (10.3%) of 359 women were eligible for antibiotic prophylaxis,but only 12 (32%) of those eligible received adequate prophylaxis.After minor changes to the protocol and staff education, a re-auditover a subsequent four week period identified 49 (13%) of 378women eligible with 20 (42%) of those eligible receiving adequateprophylaxis.³ This represents but a modestimprovement.

This audit represents . . . [Full text of this article]

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Risk factors for early onset neonatal group B streptococcal sepsis: case-control study: Sam Oddie and Nicholas D Embleton
BMJ 2002 325: 308. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]