The natural history of group B streptococcal colonization in the pregnant woman and her offspring. II. Determination of serum antibody to capsular polysaccharide from type III, group B Streptococcus.

An investigation of the prevalence and persistence of the concentration of antibody to capsular polysaccharide from type III, group B Streptococcus in sera from 93 pregnant women and their newborn infants is reported. In the majority of women, the concentrations of antibody detected in the sera were low (less than 1 microgram/ml). However, sera from women who were colonized with type III strains of group B streptococci contained significantly higher concentrations of antibody than those from noncolonized women (p = 0.027). No appreciable change in antibody concentration was found in sera collected early in gestation when compared to delivery sera. When maternal-cord serum pairs were analyzed, a significant correlation between concentrations of antibody was found, which indicates that this antibody is transplacentally transferred.