Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Adherence To Group B Streptococcus Screening Guidelines Amongst Pregnant Women In Western Australia – A Quantitative Descriptive Analysis, Sabine Pangerl

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Colonisation with Group B Streptococci (GBS) is a major risk factor for neonatal infection acquired via vertical transmission during pregnancy, labour, or birth, potentially resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Universal screening at 35 – 37 weeks gestation for maternal GBS colonisation and the use of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis has resulted in substantial reductions in the burden of neonatal Early-Onset GBS Disease (EOGBSD). Women in Western Australia (WA) are offered GBS screening in pregnancy and intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. Anecdotal evidence suggests variations in viewpoints and thus low adherence to relevant clinical guidelines amongst midwives and pregnant women in the midwifery …

Impact Of Lifestyle Factors On Group B Streptococcus Colonization During Pregnancy, Myra Joy Quilatan

Theses

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization in the genital tract of pregnant women is a known contributory factor for infection in the neonate, having an impact on morbidity and mortality especially if unrecognized and untreated prior to vaginal delivery. An understanding on how certain lifestyle factors contribute to the development of GBS colonization during pregnancy will assist in aiding a modification of behavior to promote prevention and improve general health.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various lifestyle factors in isolation or combination on GBS colonization during pregnancy.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey research design …

Structural Analyses Of Streptococcus Agalactiae Sortases, Baldeep Khare

All ETDs from UAB

Multi-drug resistance in Gram-positive bacteria is a growing and unwavering challenge for twenty-first century medicine. The enzyme sortase, identified just around the turn of the century, has since become a promising target for development of anti-infective drugs. Streptococcus agalactiae or Group B Streptococcus (GBS), encodes multiple sortases, which participate in various processes and whose functions are only beginning to be understood in detail. Sortases are cysteine proteases that are crucial for Gram-positive pili biogenesis. Two classes of sortases, class C and class A, participate in the assembly of structural components (pilins) to form the pili and subsequent anchoring of the …