CERVICAL GRAM STAIN FOR RAPID DETECTION OF COLONIZATION WITH BETA-STREPTOCOCCUS

  • 1 March 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 69  (3) , 354-357
Abstract
The group B .beta.-hemolytic streptococcus has been implicated in significant maternal and neonatal infections. The usual criteria for identifying the organism has been culture. A preliminary prospective study of the applicability of a simple, rapid, and readily available inexpensive screening tool, the Gram stain, was evaluated in 98 high-risk patients (premature rupture of the membranes and/or premature labor). In this selected population, cervical Gram stain was found to have a 98% negative predictive value for subsequent culture-proven group B .beta.-hemolytic streptococcus colonization. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values were, respectively, 93, 69, and 33%. Gram strain may be an appropriate test to assist in evaluation of group B .beta.-hemolytic streptococcus colonization in an at-risk population.

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