Group B streptococcal (GBS) infections are the leading cause of bacterial disease and death
among newborns in the United States and an important cause of morbidity among
peripartum women and nonpregnant adults with chronic medical conditions. Disease in
infants usually presents as sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis but also may include cellulitis or
osteomyelitis. In 1990, GBS infections caused an estimated 7600 serious illnesses and 310
deaths among US infants aged< or= 90 days; infections among infants aged< 7 days (ie …

Surveillance for group B streptococcal (GBS) infections was conducted in counties in
California, Tennessee, Georgia, and Maryland. A total of 3023 cases of invasive GBS
disease were reported in the surveillance areas during 1993-95; 1071 (35%) cases
occurred among neonates aged< 90 days. Of the 1071 neonatal cases, 520 (49%) occurred
among blacks and 478 (45%) among whites. 822 (77%) cases were early onset disease (in
infants aged< 7 days). The most common types of neonatal disease were bacteraemia …