Antibodies to Capsular Polysaccharides of Group BStreptococcusin Pregnant Canadian Women: Relationship to Colonization Status and Infection in the Neonate

Abstract
In a cohort study of 1207 pregnant women in Alberta, Canada, the serotype distributions of vaginal‐rectal group B Streptococcus (GBS) isolates were compared with all isolates from neonates with invasive GBS disease identified by population‐based surveillance. Serum concentrations of Ia, Ib, II, III, and V capsular polysaccharide (CPS)–specific IgG also were determined, according to serotype of the vaginal‐rectal colonizing GBS strain. GBS colonization was detected in 19.5% (235 of 1207) of women. Serotype III accounted for 20.6% (48 of 233) of colonizing strains available for typing but for 37% (27 of 73) of invasive isolates from neonates (P<.01). Maternal colonization with type III was least likely to be associated with moderate concentrations of III CPS–specific IgG. Serotype III GBS is more invasive than other serotypes in this population; this may be due, at least in part, to poor maternal type III CPS–specific antibody response.

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