The main purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence rate, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and molecular characteristics of Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from pregnant women at 35 weeks of gestation and above, who attended antenatal screening at selected hospitals in Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions of Namibia. Out of 210 women screened for Group B Streptococcus (GBS), 12 (5.7%) were colonised of which 25.0% were colonised rectovaginally, 58.0% vaginally and 17.0% rectally. No significant association was reported between GBS colonisation and maternal age, geographic location, marital status, education, employment, parity, still births and miscarriages (P values > 0.05). Antimicrobial susceptibility was reported at 100% for ampicillin, penicillin & ceftriaxone which are commonly used for empiric treatment of infection with GBS. Resistance to tetracycline was reported at 100%. Tetracycline resistance gene tet(M) was present in 88.9% of the isolates only and none of the isolates presented with tet(O). Polysaccharide capsular type Ia was found in 9(50%) and Ib was found in 1(5.5%) of the total isolates. The remaining isolates were not typeable using PCR. Streptococcus agalactiae’s positive rate was 5.7% among the pregnant women examined. Socio-demographic and obstetric factors had no influence on GBS colonisation (P values > 0.05). No resistance was reported to ampicillin, penicillin and ceftriaxone. No sensitivity was reported to tetracycline. Fifty percent of the isolates were capsular type Ia, 5.5% were type Ib and 44.4% were not typeable using PCR. The study provides crucial information for informing policy in screening of GBS in pregnant women.

中文翻译：

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纳米比亚 Ohangwena 和 Oshikoto 地区医院孕妇 B 族链球菌的患病率和分子特征

本研究的主要目的是调查从妊娠 35 周及以上的孕妇中分离出的无乳链球菌的患病率、抗生素敏感性模式和分子特征，这些孕妇在纳米比亚 Ohangwena 和 Oshikoto 地区的选定医院接受产前筛查。在筛查 B 组链球菌 (GBS) 的 210 名女性中，12 名 (5.7%) 被定植，其中 25.0% 在直肠阴道定植，58.0% 在阴道定植，17.0% 在直肠定植。GBS 定植与产妇年龄、地理位置、婚姻状况、教育、就业、产次、死产和流产之间没有显着关联（P 值 > 0.05）。据报道，氨苄青霉素、青霉素和青霉素的抗菌药物敏感性为 100% 头孢曲松常用于GBS感染的经验性治疗。据报道，对四环素的耐药率为 100%。四环素抗性基因 tet(M) 仅存在于 88.9% 的分离株中，没有一个分离株存在 tet(O)。多糖荚膜类型 Ia 被发现在 9 (50%) 和 Ib 被发现在总分离株的 1 (5.5%)。其余的分离株不能使用 PCR 进行分型。在接受检查的孕妇中，无乳链球菌的阳性率为5.7%。社会人口统计学和产科因素对 GBS 定植没有影响（P 值 > 0.05）。没有报道对氨苄青霉素、青霉素和头孢曲松产生耐药性。没有报告对四环素敏感。50% 的分离株为荚膜 Ia 型，5.5% 为 Ib 型，44.4% 不能使用 PCR 分型。