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Infection with the bacterium (a kind of germ) called group B streptococcus can make a newborn baby seriously ill. This infection doesn't happen often, but when it does babies need to be treated quickly.

Most infections in newborn babies are caused by a kind of bacterium called group B streptococcus (also called group B strep or GBS).¹ Group B strep can live in your body without causing any problems. But if these bacteria spread from a mother to her baby during birth they can cause serious illness such as:^{1 2}

• Blood infection (sepsis)
• Lung infection (pneumonia)
• Infection of the fluid and lining around the brain (meningitis).

You may also hear group B strep infections called strep B infections and beta strep infections or beta strep disease. Although adults can get group B strep infections, newborn babies are much more likely to get them.

There are two main types of group B strep infection in newborn babies.

If your baby gets group B strep infection in the first seven days of life, it's called early-onset infection. Doctors think that babies who get an infection soon after they are born breathed in fluid that contained group B strep during labor.³ Early-onset group B strep infection in newborn babies can be prevented by giving women antibiotics during labor. The antibiotics kill the bacteria before they can be passed on to the baby. To learn more see Preventing group B strep infections in newborn babies.

If your baby gets group B strep infection between seven days and two months after birth, it's called late-onset infection.¹ Doctors aren't exactly sure how a baby gets late-onset infection. It seems that mothers probably pass group B strep to their babies through close physical contact.^{1 3} Giving women antibiotics during labor doesn't prevent babies from getting late-onset infections.

Here we look at preventing and treating group B strep infections that babies can get in the first week of their life (early-onset infections).

Certain things make it more likely that your baby will get a group B strep infection soon after birth. These are called risk factors. If you have a risk factor it doesn't mean your baby will definitely get an infection. But the chance of your baby getting an infection is greater than that of another baby whose mother doesn't have any risk factors.

Your baby is more likely to get early-onset group B strep infection if:^{4 5 6}

• You carry group B strep (that is, you have the bacteria in your body but you don't have any symptoms of an infection)
• Your baby is born before the 37th week of pregnancy
• Your baby weighs less than 5.5 pounds
• You have a fever when you are in labor
• Your waters break before the 37th week of pregnancy or before labor (this is called the premature rupture of membranes)
• You have lots of vaginal examinations (six or more) when you are in labor
• You're having more than one baby.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.