Abstract

Background: Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B streptococcus, GBS) that colonize the vaginas of pregnant women may occasionally cause neonatal infections. It is one of the most common causes of sepsis and meningitis in neonates and of invasive diseases in pregnant women. It can also cause infectious disease among immunocompromised individuals. The distribution of capsular serotypes and genotypes varies over time and by geographic era. The serotyping and genotyping data of GBS in Iranian pregnant and non-pregnant women seems very limited. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the GBS molecular capsular serotype and genotype distribution of pregnant and nonpregnant carrier women at Yazd university hospital, in Iran. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of too GM strains isolated from 237 pregnant and 413 non-pregnant women were investigated for molecular capsular serotypes and surface protein genes using the multiplex PCRassay. The Chi-square method was used for statistical analysis. Results: Out of 650 samples, 100 (15.4) were identified as GBS, with a predominance of capsular serotypes 111 (50) III-1 (49), III-3 WI, followed by 11 (25%), la (12%), V(11%), and lb (2%), which was similar with another study conducted in Tehran, Iran, but they had no serotype La in their report. The surface protein antigen genes distribution was rib (53%), epsilon (38%), ulp2/3 ( 6%), and alpha-c (3%). Conclusions: The determination of serotype and surface proteins of GBS strains distribution would be relevant for the future possible formulation of a GM vaccine.