Streptococci are spherical in shape. They divide by fission, but they remain attached and grow in chains. Some of these bacteria are important in fermentation. These bacteria can cause diseases such as pneumonia, scarlet fever, rheumatic fever, and some flesh-eating bacteria.

Streptococcus is the leading cause of infection of babies that have just been born. This disease is called neonatal GBS disease and this has not declined. It appeared in the 1970s and this disease has been the leading infection dealing with illness and death in newborn babies in the United States. Women who are colonized by streptococcus have the increased risk of newborns.

This disease is mainly infected in newborns, pregnant women, and adults with medical conditions such as diabetes. In infants, it usually occurs as bacteremia, pneumonia, or meningitis and other syndromes. About 25% of this disease occur in premature infants. In pregnant women, it causes infection in the urinary system, edometritis, amnionitis, and wound infection. In adults that are not pregnant skin infection, bacteremia, and pneumonia are the most common cases of this disease. The death rate for newborns for streptococcus is approximately 5%-20% and 15%-32% for adults.

Group B Streptococcal is the most common cause of blood infection in newborn babies. This is a common case of pneumonia in newborns. Before there was a prevention of this disease, approximately 8,000 babies would get this each year. One out of every twenty babies would die from this disease. The lucky babies who survived would have long term problems such as hearing or vision disabilities or learning disorders. About 20% of the adults who have GBS who are not pregnant will die. Many people who have GBS do not become ill. This disease is usually treated with antibiotics that are usually injected through the vein.

The most common place where you can find this disease is in the gastrointestinal tract. Colonization rate of this disease varies from ethnic groups, geographical locations, and by age. However the rates between pregnant and non-pregnant women are fairly similar and the disease was colonized in the vaginal or rectal area in 30% of the women. In 1990, there were 310 deaths in the United States dealing with infants less than or equal to 90 days of age. The risk of getting this disease is higher in women who are less than 20 years of age or of black race.

There are a lot of prevention strategies such as doing protective immunity in the newborn. This disease is the major cause of illness and death in newborns. A major risk factor is maternal GBS colonization. [Unable to display image]
 

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