Experimental Vaccine Reduces Chances of Group B Strep Infections

November 1, 2009 by Cathy Ribble
Filed under: Baby Health, News

Pregnant women carrying Group B strep bacteria may soon be able to reduce chances of passing along the bacteria to their babies if the vaccine is perfected and approved.

Group B strep bacteria is a leading cause of blood and brain infections in babies. According to researchers, pregnant women who received the Group B Streptococcus vaccine in a recent study were about one-third less likely to carry the bacteria in the vagina. The same group was 43 percent less likely to carry the bacteria in the gut.

The new study was presented at a Philadelphia meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America on Friday.

“It’s very exciting,” said Sharon Hillier of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, who led the study. “We’ve shown development and testing of such a vaccine is possible.”

This type of strep bacteria is different from Type A which causes “strep throat.” Strep B is often discovered through routine testing of pregnant women. When the bacteria is found, antibiotics can be administered through IV to reduce the likelihood of the baby being infected during the birth process.

Approximately one in every 2,000 babies born in the United States suffers from a disease related to Group B strep infection. The infection is also at the root of many chronic illnesses in pregnant women and elderly people.

The research for this study was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. That organization falls under the umbrella of the National Institutes of Health. Hillier believes that the vaccine benefits projected by this study are modest, but she is hopeful that it is enough to motivate the government and the medical industry to continue the research to develop a more effective vaccine to control Group B strep infections.