Prevalence of Type-specific Group B Streptococcal Antibody in Pregnant Women

Immunoglobulin G antibody against the four major serotypes of group B streptococcus was measured by indirect immunofluorescence in the sera of 200 consecutive pregnant women seen in the obstetric screening clinic of an urban teaching hospital. Antibody was detectable in 26% of undiluted sera against serotype Ia, 52% against serotype Ib, 82% against serotype II, and 45% against serotype III. Only 9% had antibody against all four GBS types. When serotype-specific antibody prevalences in 108 women with GBS vaginal colonization were compared with prevalences in noncolonized women, only women colonized with GBS type Ia were more likely to have antibody against Ia than noncolonized women. Antibody prevalences in sera from 54 mothers whose infants developed invasive GBS disease were significantly lower than those in colonized or noncolonized women. Since low titers of IF antibody to GBS III were present in some sera from mothers of infected infants, the data were analyzed based on IF antibody titers associated with passive protection in a chick embryo model of GBS septicemia. None of the sera from mothers of infected infants had antibody levels associated with chick embryo protection. Less than 10% of women had titers associated with chick embryo protection. These data suggest that the majority of pregnant women lack immunity to GBS, regardless of colonization status.