ABC Medical Center > Diseases > Group B Streptococcus

What is group b streptococcus?

26 January 2026

This refers to a group of bacteria that usually inhabit the intestines, vagina, rectum, bladder, or throat, which can trigger serious infections in newborns, adults with chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, HIV, heart or liver diseases, and obesity, as well as the elderly.

Any healthy person can be a carrier of Group B Streptococcus (GBS), either for a short time or for life; it is not transmitted by sexual contact. In the case of babies, it is often spread during childbirth, especially if the minor comes into contact with fluids containing these bacteria.

Signs and symptoms Group B Streptococcus

In Babies:

  • Convulsive episodes (seizures)
  • Breathing problems
  • Skin rashes
  • High temperature (fever)
  • Jaundice
  • Propensity to irritability
  • Episodes of nervousness
  • Feeding problems

In Adults:

  • Endocarditis
  • Joint and bone infection
  • Skin or soft tissue infection
  • Bloodstream infection (bacteremia)
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  • Meningitis
  • Pneumonia

In Pregnant Women:

  • Endometritis
  • Chorioamnionitis
  • Urinary tract infection (UTI)

Diagnosis and treatment Group B Streptococcus

If you are pregnant, your doctor may request a Group B Streptococcus screening test during the third trimester of pregnancy so that, if the result is positive, the baby can be protected with the administration of safe antibiotics.

To ensure the baby does not have a Group B Strep disease, a chest X-ray, lumbar puncture (spinal tap), and urine culture may be required.

In adults, a blood test is needed to confirm the presence of Group B Streptococcus.

The treatment to follow, for both babies and adults, consists of administering intravenous antibiotics and, in specific cases, oxygen.

In pregnant women, oral antibiotics that are safe to take during pregnancy are used.

In the Internal Medicine Department at Centro Médico ABC, we provide medical care services with the highest quality and safety, from the prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and follow-up of infectious, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological, rheumatic, nephrological, gastrointestinal, and hematological pathologies, including both chronic-degenerative conditions and acute cases, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary model.

Related centers and departments Group B Streptococcus

Internal medicine
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Sources:

  • cdc.gov
  • aeped.es
  • americanpregnancy.org
  • medlineplus.gov
  • cigna.com
  • mayoclinic.org
  • msdmanuals.com
  • medigraphic.com
  • Bernardino CM, Ortiz MR, Álvarez FB, et al. Sepsis neonatal tardía por estreptococo del grupo B. Transmisión a través de lactancia materna. Rev Enfer Infec Pediatr. 2011;24.25(97):17-21.

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