Penicillin prophylaxis and neonatal streptococcal disease.

Despite a number of efforts no means of preventing neonatal group B beta-hemolytic strep (GBS) infection by maternal treatment or immunization has proved effective. But impetus to a direct approach to the infant has been provided by the serendipitous discovery that routine penicillin prophylaxis for gonococcal ophthalmia may also protect against GBS. Large-scale controlled studies are now under way.