Group B Streptococci in Human Urethral and Cervical Specimens

AbstractThe occurrence of group B streptococci was investigated in urethral and cervical specimens from the following groups of individuals: 219 females visiting a gynaecological department for screening for cervical carcinoma for the first time; 104 pregnant women visiting a mother-care department; 94 patients with previous or existing cytological changes in cervical smears; 153 patients with gonorrhoea and their 67 sexual contacts; and 42 male medical undergraduates. The women with gonorrhoea harboured group B streptococci more often than the women visiting the cancer screening department for the first time (36.9 and 18.3, respectively). Both groups harboured B streptococci more often than the pregnant women (7.7) who were living in a more rural district. The men with gonorrhoea harboured B streptococci more often than the male medical undergraduates (21.7 and 2.7, respectively). B streptococci were equally common among the sexual contacts as among the patients infected with gonococci, whether the contacts were infected with gonococci or not. The 219 women visiting the cervical cancer screening department were questioned regarding the use of contraceptives. Neither IUD nor contraceptive pills were found to influence the frequency of group B streptococci. On background of these results, sexual transmission of group B streptococci is discussed.