Early Onset Neonatal Group B Streptococcal Infection in Hong Kong

The attack rates of early onset streptococcal sepsis in Chinese neonates was found to be 0.58 cases per 1000 among 19118 live births at Tsan Yuk Maternity Hospital. This low attack rate is probably due to a low GBS genital carriage rate and the absence of serotype II GBS in local pregnant women. Risk factors found to be associated with neonatal diseases are maternal fever, prolonged rupture of membrane, gestational diabetes mellitus. Prematurity and multiple pregnancy, which are recognised risk factors in Caucasian populations, are not found to have an important influence on the development of neonatal sepsis in Chinese. The clinical features of affected neonates in our series do not differ from the classical description. Mortality and morbidity are associated with neonatal meningitis exclusively.