Group B Streptococcus vaccine update: A crucial public health initiative for India

Abstract

Background: Group B streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of neonatal infections and infant mortality worldwide. Global epidemiological studies highlight the increasing maternal rectovaginal GBS carriage rates posing a major risk for increasing neonatal infections. An estimated one-fourth of pregnant women are colonized with GBS. To prevent infections in infants, various measures have been implemented, including screening strategies for GBS colonization during pregnancy and the introduction of intrapartum antimicrobial prophylaxis (IAP). While IAP has effectively reduced early-onset GBS disease (EOD), the late-onset disease (LOD) remains a growing concern, highlighting the urgent need for a GBS vaccine.

Objective: This review examines global GBS epidemiology, serotype prevalence, potential vaccine targets and current progress in vaccine development.

Content: This review focuses on maternal carriage rates, neonatal disease burden and screening strategies and underscores the importance of maternal screening and IAP administration in mitigating neonatal infections. Additionally, it summarizes the distribution of major GBS serotypes worldwide, facilitating comparisons of serotype prevalence and potential vaccine candidate coverage. The study further explores virulence factors associated with GBS colonization and invasion and the current vaccine development efforts emphasizing the critical need for investment in GBS vaccine research to reduce neonatal infection rates globally.

Keywords: Colonization; GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae; Vaccine.