Test Directory

• Group B Streptococcus, PCR
• Culture and sensitivity will be performed in patients with a noted penicillin allergy

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) causes invasive disease in infants and can be spread vertically from colonized women during delivery. Standard of care is for the screening of pregnant women at 35 - 37 weeks of gestation to determine colonization status.

Specimen: Vaginal/Rectal Swab

Collection Container: Eswab

1. Patient should be collected at 36 - 37 weeks of gestation.
2. Wipe away excessive amount of secretion or discharge from the vaginal area.
3. Carefully insert swab into the lower one-third of the vagina and sample secretions from the mucosa. Do not collect a cervical specimen.
4. Carefully insert the same swab, approximately 2.5 cm beyond the anal sphincter, and gently rotate to sample anal crypts.
5. Place the swab in the collection container.

• Please indicate patient's penicillin allergy status.
• Reflex culture and susceptibility will be performed on positive specimens for penicillin allergic individuals.

Transport to the laboratory at room temperature.

Specimen other than vaginal/rectal swabs are unacceptable.

Collection of both sites is highly encouraged by CDC recommendations. Failure to collect from both sites significantly decreases detection of GBS.

• GBS PCR
• Group B Strep PCR
• Streptococcus agalactiae Molecular Detection