Group B streptococcal infection in the perinatal period. An increasing problem in newborn care.

Group B streptococcal infections in newborn infants are increasing in frequency. Infection takes two forms--early-onset, developing in the first 24 hours, and late-onset, developing after the first week. Early-onset disease, a fulminating septicaemia, has a mortality of 40-70%. Late-onset disease, usually meningitis, has a mortality of 20-30%, with a high incidence of neurological damage in survivors. Early-onset disease is acquired during delivery from organisms colonizing the vagina. Up to 25% of women are colonized in late pregnancy. So far, no effective programmes for prevention have been developed.