Scientists call streptococcal infection an infection caused by a bacterium of the streptococcus group.
The article will tell you about group B streptococcus.
Group B strep (streptococcus) is a common bacterium often carried in the intestines or lower genital tract.
The bacterium is usually harmless in healthy adults. In newborns, however, it can cause a serious illness known as group B strep disease.
Bacteria are usually harmless in healthy adults, although in newborns the bacteria can cause a serious disease called group B streptococcal disease. This bacterium also affects the body of an adult who has a chronic illness, such as diabetes or liver disease. The elderly are also at risk.
If you're a healthy adult, there's nothing you need to do about group B strep. If you're pregnant, get a group B strep screening test during your third trimester. If you have group B strep, antibiotic treatment during labor can protect your baby.
Symptoms
Infants
Most babies born to women carrying group B strep are healthy. But the few who are infected by group B strep during labor can become critically ill.
In infants, illness caused by group B strep can be within six hours of birth (early onset) — or weeks or months after birth (late onset).
Signs and symptoms might include:
- Fever
- Difficulty feeding
- Sluggishness and a lack of energy (lethargy)
- Difficulty breathing
- Irritability
- Jaundice
Adults
Many adults carry group B strep in their bodies, usually in the bowel, vagina, rectum, bladder or throat.
There are usually no symptoms or signs.
In some cases, however, group B strep can cause a urinary tract infection or more-serious infections such as blood infections (bacteremia) or pneumonia.
Causes
Many healthy people carry group B strep bacteria in their bodies. You might carry the bacteria in your body for a short time — it can come and go — or you might always have it.
Group B strep bacteria aren't sexually transmitted, and they're not spread through food or water.
Group B strep can spread to a baby during a vaginal delivery if the baby is exposed to — or swallows — fluids containing group B strep.
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/group-b-strep/symptoms-causes/syc-20351729
