Detection of carriers of group B streptococci in pregnant women with absorbed charcoal culture. Streptococcal Diseases Study Group

For prevention of group B streptococcal (GBS) infection in neonates, GBS carriers of pregnant women should be detected. Procedures for detection of carriers were needed to get higher positive rate and to be handled with easy. Urine samples were shown to detect higher rates than vaginal smear samples in pregnant women. GBS in the urine were adsorbed to charcoal granula for easier transporting. These adsorbed charcoal were tested as to whether they could be preserved with different temperatures and days. Urine with 10(1) CFU/ml of GBS added could be detected after 7 days at temperatures of 4, 25, 37, 42 degrees C. The cultures of this procedure with the cultures of urine sediment of pregnant women were compared. Detecting rates of this procedure and urine sediment were 177 (26.2%) and 136 (20.1%) of 676 pregnant women, respectively. These data suggested that adsorbed charcoal culture was useful with higher positive rates for detection of the GBS carriers in pregnant women.