Serotypes VI and VIII predominate among group B streptococci isolated frompregnant Japanese women

Infection by group B streptococcus (GBS) is an important cause of bacterial disease in neonates, pregnant women, and nonpregnant adults. Whereas serot ypes Ia, Ib, II, III, and V are most commonly associated with colonization and disease in:the,United States, strains of other serotypes have been isol ated from patients in Japan. By use of an inhibition ELISA, the serotypes o f 73 vaginal colonizing GBS strains isolated from: healthy pregnant Japanes e women were investigated, Twenty-six (35.6%) were type WT, 18 (24.7%) were type VI, and the remaining 29 were distributed among more traditional sero types. Strains were also tested by immunoblot for the presence of GBS surfa ce proteins. Fifty-three (72.6%) of the 73 strains expressed one or more la ddering GBS proteins. These data show that type VI and VIII GBS Strains are common vaginal isolates in pregnant Japanese women and that one or more la ddering proteins are present in most GBS strains.