Genetic analysis of group B streptococcal (GBS) bacteria - which types cause the most meningitis and septicaemia?
Research archive
- Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Canada, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
- Researchers:
Ms Nicola Jones, Professor Carol Baker, Professor Elsayed Sameer, Professor H.Dele Davies
- Project Number: 0107.0
- Category: Surveillance
- Duration: 2002-2003
- Start Date: 01 January 2002
- Type: Lay summary
- View scientific version
GBS is the main cause of meningitis and septicaemia in newborn babies.
About 80% of GBS meningitis is due to just one type of GBS bacteria which can be further divided into subtypes.
The purpose of this study is to use sophisticated genetic analysis to find out in detail which subtypes of the bacteria are most likely to cause disease. This information will improve our understanding of GBS meningitis and septicaemia leading to more targeted prevention strategies.
Results from this study have been published in a scientific journal as follows:
Davies HD, Jones N, Whittam TS, Elsayed S, Bisharat N, Baker CJ,
Multilocus sequence typing of serotype III group B streptococcus and correlation with pathogenic potential.
J Infect Dis 2004 Mar 15;189(6):1097-102. Epub 2004 Feb 27. http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/JID/journal/issues/v189n6/31175/31175.web.pdf