Abstract:
The proportion of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonisation in pregnant women >35 weeks of gestation
was 18% and 49% by culture and real-time PCR respectively in selected hospitals from the Western
Province of Sri Lanka. A Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from January to April 2019.
Two low vaginal and rectal swabs were collected from 100 pregnant women. Identification of GBS was
done by culture and real-time PCR. GBS isolates were found to be sensitive to penicillin, ampicillin,
cefotaxime, vancomycin, while 5 and 4 isolates out of 18 were resistant to erythromycin and clindamycin, respectively. Further, there was a significant association between GBS colonisation and a history of
vaginal discharge and unemployment