Childhood Diseases and Resistant Bacteria

Parents beware: A new strain of strep bacteria has evaded the traditional immunization routine and has yet to be adequately treated. Until recently, the vaccine that immunizes children against Streptococcus pneumoniae was successful in staving off serious infections but now serotype 19A is on the rise. Bacteria 19A lives in the nose and throat usually without a problem but after a simple infection slips into the inner areas of the body can cause diseases.

Pneumococcal disease is the leading vaccine preventable killer of children worldwide. World Health Organization statistics show that nearly one million children die each year of this disease, most of them in the developing countries.

A vaccine is in the works but it’s nowhere near ready as clinical trials take years.

Group B Strep, the Elderly, and Nursing Homes

While most of the news about Strep B and its potentially harmful effects is focused on newborn babies, the infection also poses a threat to adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that the occurrence of Strep B in non-newborn age group is around 4.1 to 7.2 cases per 100,000 people.

Strep B can be serious for adults and can result in death. Approximately, 8-10% of people ages 18-64 who contract the disease die from it. The fatality rate climbs steeply for the elderly population who suffer a death rate of 15-25%. The most serious infections caused by Strep B include blood infections, pneumonia or skin, soft tissue, bone or joint infections. Strep B can also cause less serious infections such as urinary tract infections that can be treated with antibiotics.

Strep B among adults is most common in elderly adults who suffer from another illness or disease. For the elderly population, Strep B is most common in nursing homes and among patients who are confined to their beds. However, it is also seen in adults who suffer a trauma or invasive hospital procedure.

While the number of newborns suffering from Strep B decreased between 1999 and 2005, the number of adults who became infected with Group B Strep increased about 50%. This number is troublesome and is leading more and more physicians and researchers to think about long term prevention of the infection.

Prevention of Strep B for Adults
Currently, the best way to prevent the potentially serious effects of an adult Strep B infection is to follow standard infection control procedures in hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities. Researchers are working on a vaccine that will, hopefully, protect patients against this serious infection in the future.

Prenatal Care: Group B Strep Screening

Group B Strep is dangerous to newborn babies and it is most often transmitted to them by their mothers. Approximately 25% of new mothers have Strep B. However, most mothers do not know they have Strep B.

Howcan newborns adequately be protected against this dangerous and sometimes fatal infection? Group B Strep can cause blindness, brain damage, meningitis, and even death.

Yet, is 90% preventable when pregnant women are screened to determine if they are carriers and provided antibiotics if the screening comes back positive. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines provide that every pregnant woman should be screened for Group B Strep between weeks 35 and 37 of her pregnancy. Women should ask their doctors if they do not have the screening. If the test comes back positive, antibiotics are administered via an IV during labor. The benefit is to surround the baby with antibiotics in the amniotic fluid and in the birth canal to provide necessary protection.

The March of Dimes Association estimates between 1 and 4% of babies born to mothers who have tested positive for Group B Strep actually become infected with Group B Strep. Researchers are trying to figure out how to lower that number. The question is whether there is a problem with the screening procedure, the application of the screening procedure, or the treatment plan. Part of the problem may be a delay in providing antibiotics to the mother because of the red tape the hospital must follow to get the antibiotics from the pharmacy.
Also, there has been promising research about a vaccine for Group B Strep that could be administered to pregnant women. No drug company is currently actively pursuing that research.

In the meantime, doctors must take care to provide pregnant women with appropriate screenings and treatment in order to minimize the potential risks to the baby.

Group B Strep Prevention and Newborns

Strep B, also known as Group B strep, is particularly dangerous to newborn babies. Newborns who are not treated promptly may face severe and possibly fatal consequences.

About half of the cases of Group B strep among newborns happen within one week of their birth. When it happens within one week of birth it is called “early onset disease.” If it happens after the first week it is called “late onset disease.”

Symptoms include fever, lack of appetite, irritability, or lethargy. If a doctor thinks that a Strep B infection is a possibility then he will test either the baby’s blood or spinal fluid for bacteria and is usually treated with antibiotics administered through an IV. It’s important that treatment start as soon as possible.

It is the most common cause of blood infections and meningitis among newborns and it is also a significant cause of newborn pneumonia. Meningitis is more common among the newborns with late onset disease than those who develop symptoms within the first week of life.

While proper diagnosis and early treatment are essential, it is important to prevent the majority of Group B Strep cases in newborn children. Most early onset cases can be prevented by giving the mother antibiotics during her labor and delivery.

All pregnant women should be screened for Group B Strep prior to labor so that they can be treated if they test positive.

While the diagnosis may be disconcerting and in some cases grim, if a newborn baby has Group B Strep -- proper prevention, diagnosis and treatment can make all the difference.

Prenatal care prevents premature babies

Premature births lead to many birth defects and complications further down the road.

In North Dakota, 11 percent of babies are born prematurely. What's with that?

The important message to get out to the birthing population is the importance of getting pre-natal care early and stick with the program as well as see a medical professional when problems arise.

Have you or a member of your family been the victim of birth malpractice in Pennsylvania or New Jersey? If yes, it's wise to contact a medical malpractice law firm as they can determine if a lawsuit is in your future.

Is Group B Strep Transmitted Sexually?

Group B Strep (GBS) is a naturally occurring bacterium in the human body of both women and men.

Since it is commonly found in the vagina, some people think that GBS is a sexually transmitted disease. However, that is not so.

GBS bacteria usually do not cause genital symptoms or discomfort and are not linked with increased sexual activity.

There are many misconceptions about Group B Strep birth injuries. Check out the Group B Strep frequently asked questions to get informed.

Do you need a Group B Strep medical malpractice law firm to file a lawsuit?

When Strep Threatens a Child's Life

Strep can greatly cause problems for a newborn.

The birth of a child is probably the most wonderful time in a person's life. However, much of this joy can be deflated if there is a problem with the birth. Sometimes, complicated pregnancies are impossible to avoid. If the problem is addressed properly and any danger to the baby's life is defused then all is well in the end. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. This can be even further confounded if the problems in the delivery are life threatening. Yes, there are conditions that can very well threaten the life of the baby. Group B Strep is one such serious condition.

Group B Strep derives from bacteria that is may be present in the birth canal of a pregnant woman. The bacteria can be transferred to the newborn. This is no minor issue. If the immune system of a baby is not fully developed this bacteria becomes potentially life threatening. That is why is absolutely critical that the presence of this disease is diagnosed in the hospital. Or, more accurately, the diagnosis takes place without any needless delays. The longer the baby is infected with the bacteria and does not receive treatment the greater the life frightening danger becomes. Sadly, many infant fatalities could have been avoided had the presence of strep been properly diagnosed within a reasonable amount of time.

This clearly sets the foundation for a malpractice lawsuit against the physician and the hospital. Such a suit can do great good in the sense that it will lead to hospitals taking more care to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. While some may say "errors do occur" such a response would be completely absurd in situations were lives are at stake. Since the presence of such bacteria is common, no delivering physician should ever make such errors in diagnosis or treatment.