A study sought to discern if HIV-positive pregnant patients have a higher rate of group B streptococcus (GBS) rectovaginal colonization compared with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative pregnant patients. The study was published in the American Journal of Perinatology.
This was a multi-site retrospective study which took place between December 2011 and June 2019, comprising 225 patients (75 HIV-positive and 150 HIV-negative controls). Rates of GBS rectovaginal colonization were compared between the two groups. The primary endpoint was the rate of GBS rectovaginal colonization. Secondary outcomes included GBS culture antibiotic sensitivities, presence of GBS urinary tract infection, GBS positivity based on HIV viral load, and GBS positivity based on new vs. established diagnosis of HIV.
According to the results of the study, HIV-positive patients were more likely to deliver preterm and were more likely to deliver via cesarean section. The investigators did not observe any notable differences in incidence of GBS colonization between HIV-positive patients and control group (41.3% vs. 30.6%, respectively; P = 0.136). They noted that antibiotic resistance patterns showed no significant difference between the two groups. There were also no significant differences observed in GBS positivity based on HIV viral load.
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34784616/
Keywords: HIV, group B streptococcus, pregnancy
