Group B Strep
Alternate Terms:- GBS
- Baby Strep
- Group B Streptococcal Bacteria
Group B streptococcus, known as group B strep, is one of many kinds of streptococcus bacteria that infect humans. Although group B strep can live in a healthy person's body without causing illness, it can be life-threatening.
People at-risk for severe group B strep infection include newborns who catch it from their mothers during childbirth and people with weakened immune systems (as from chronic illness or cancer treatment).
Group B strep is treated with antibiotics. All pregnant women are tested for group B strep during pregnancy. To prevent newborn infection, any women with Group B strep infection is treated in the last weeks of pregnancy or during labor.
| Author: | Jeannette Curtis |
| Medical Review: | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated: May 25, 2007 | |
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