Detection of Group B Streptococcus in vaginal swabs, without prior enrichment, by qPCR.

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection in newborns during childbirth can result in death. We described a method to detect GBS from vaginal swabs in pregnant women, without prior enrichment, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and compared its results to the culture method. The qPCR outperforms culture method. [Display omitted] • qPCR has great sensitivity for GBS detection in pregnant women; • qPCR can improve the strategies against GBS infection; • qPCR should be the gold standard for GBS detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]