INTRODUCTION:

Group B streptococcus (GBS) or Streptococcus agalactiae in immunosuppressed individuals, such as neonates, can result in a series of complications and diseases, which can even lead to death.

OBJECTIVES:

To characterize the clinical-epidemiological profile of pregnant women colonized by S. agalactiae and determine the isolates' sensitivity profile in a hospital in the Amazon.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Clinical specimens were collected from March 15 to April 15, 2019, following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The phenotypic identification was performed according to the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa), and for the antimicrobial sensitivity testing, the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute specifications were followed. RESULTS: Colonization by GBS was found in 34.0% of the pregnant women; the most frequent chronic diseases were hypertension (26.0%) and diabetes (10.0%). The antimicrobials linezolid, vancomycin, and meropenem were the most effective against the bacteria. There was a high resistance rate for ciprofloxacin (82.4%) and chloramphenicol (70.6%); 88.2% of the strains analyzed were multidrug-resistant.

CONCLUSION:

The presence of GBS among high-risk pregnant women and the detection of multidrug-resistant strains, including those with resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins, bring up the importance of screening for the detection of this bacteria during pregnancy and the beginning of antibiotic prophylaxis, emphasizing the need to adapt the practice of local prenatal care to the current recommendations.

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