Seminar on “Laboratory methods to study Group B Streptococcus colonization in pregnant mothers and their newborns”

Seminar on “Laboratory methods to study Group B Streptococcus colonization in pregnant mothers and their newborns”

On 4th September 2024 GlohMed organized a seminar on “Laboratory methods to study Group B Streptococcus colonization in pregnant mothers and their newborns”. Mr. Sujit Tandukar, research microbiologist at GlohMed gave a talk on this topic, targeted to doctors, nurses and laboratory staff. Streptococcus agalactiae, also known as Group B Streptococcus (GBS), is reported to colonize the gastrointestinal and genitourinary tracts in approximately 20-30% of adults including pregnant mothers. GBS has been identified as a causative agent of infections that commonly manifests as sepsis, pneumonia, meningitis, and encephalopathy in neonates. Pregnant women with vaginal GBS colonization and their babies are considered high risk populations for developing GBS infection. Although few existing investigations confirm the existence of GBS in Nepal, comprehensive epidemiological data on GBS disease is greatly lacking. GlohMed has been running a pilot study in tertiary maternity hospital to understand the burden of this disease. Laboratory staff and equipment that are necessary to conduct the study, including media, reagents and a refrigerator have been supported by GlohMed.