Table of Contents
- Overview
- Symptoms
- Treatment
- Prevention
Group B strep; GBS
Treatment
Treatment may involve one or more of the following:
- Antibiotics given through a vein
- Breathing help (respiratory support)
- Fluids given through a vein
- Medicines to reverse shock
- Medicines or procedures to correct blood clotting problems
- Oxygen therapy
A complex therapy called
Support Groups
Expectations (prognosis)
This disease can be deadly without prompt treatment.
Complications
Possible complications include:
- Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) -- a serious disorder in which the proteins that control blood clotting are abnormally active
- Hypoglycemia -- low blood sugar
- Meningitis -- swelling (inflammation) of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord caused by infection
- Respiratory failure -- breathing stops
Calling your health care provider
This disease is usually diagnosed shortly after birth, often while the baby is still in the hospital.
However, if you have a newborn at home who shows symptoms of this condition, seek immediate emergency medical help or call the local emergency number (such as 911).
Parents should particularly watch for symptoms in their baby's first 6 weeks. The early stages of this disease can produce subtle symptoms.
Previous Section
Review Date: 12/10/2009
Reviewed By: Kimberly G. Lee, MD, MSc, IBCLC, Associate Professor of Pediatrics,
Division of Neonatology, Medical University of South Carolina,
Charleston, SC. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also
reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
