Group B Streptococcal disease in infants less than 90 days of age
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Group B Streptococcal disease in UK & Irish infants less than 90 days of age
IRAS ID
137959
Contact name
Paul T Heath
Contact email
Research summary
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a bacterium (germ) that can cause serious infections such as meningitis, blood poisoning and pneumonia in newborn infants. Infection occurring in the first 6 days of life (called early onset) may be prevented by antibiotics given to the mother during labour. National guidelines were introduced in 2003 and currently recommend this for women with certain risk factors. A vaccine against GBS has also been developed and is currently being tested. If effective this could be offered to pregnant women.
The last GBS surveillance study in the UK and Ireland was undertaken over 12 years ago and there are a number of reasons why the number of infections, the risk factors and the mortality may have changed.
We need to collect comprehensive information about the current disease burden so that we can assess the impact of prevention guidelines as well as provide the baseline for a possible GBS vaccine programme.
We aim to do this through a study of all cases of invasive GBS in infants under 90 days of age that occur over a 13 month period throughout the UK and Ireland. We will do this by asking paediatricians to notify us of cases as they occur (through a routine reporting source called the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit) as well as through laboratory reports. We will ask paediatricians to complete a questionnaire about the case.
REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/1912
Date of REC Opinion
30 Dec 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion