POSTNATAL PENICILLIN PROPHYLAXIS AND THE INCIDENCE OF GROUP-B STREPTOCOCCAL SEPSIS IN NEONATES

We conducted a retrospective chart review of infants, born over a 3-ye ar period, who had positive urine latex agglutination and/or positive blood culture for group B streptococci (GBS). Infants routinely receiv ed intramuscular aqueous penicillin for the first half of the study pe riod, and no penicillin was given for the subsequent 18 months. Overal l, infants who received penicillin, prophylaxis had a decreased incide nce of clinical sepsis and positive blood culture for GBS (4.8/1,000 v ersus 8/1,000 and 1.3/1,000 versus 5.4/1,000, respectively). The incid ence of GBS sepsis during the time of penicillin prophylaxis was not d ifferent from that in previously reported studies. When analyzed by we ight groups, no difference in clinical sepsis or positive blood cultur es for GBS was seen in the subset of infants weighing less than or equ al to 2,500 g at birth. There were fewer positive blood cultures in th e infants who received penicillin and met the criteria for clinical se psis. Mortality from GBS sepsis was unchanged during these two study p eriods in all weight groups.