Streptococcal Infection and Respiratory Distress in Newborns

Phospholipids from the group B streptococcal (GBS) cell wall cause pulmonary hypertension in experimental animals. We hypothesize that newborns colonized with GBS receive bacterial phospholipids leading to pulmonary hypertension and respiratory distress. When exposed to penicillin (beta-lactam), Streptococcus mutans releases phospholipids immediately. An analysis of 1610 colonized newborns from the NICHD GBS study conducted in six academic centers from 1995 to 1999 showed that 8.8% of GBS colonized newborns greater than or equal to 32 weeks gestation had signs of respiratory distress as compared to 1-3% observed in general newborn populations, and that beta-lactam use during labor was associated with 2.62 fold increase in respiratory distress in the colonized newborns. These findings support the association of neonatal respiratory distress with GBS colonization and with penicillin use during labor. These data however require confirmation. We now plan to conduct a prospective study to relate the levels of serum bacterial phospholipids to the occurrence of respiratory distress in newborns of mother colonized GBS. This study will also evaluate the effect of beta-lactam use during labor on the release of phospholipids and therefore the occurrence of respiratory distress in newborns of mothers colonized with GBS. The study will be conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine and Oakland Children s Hospital and Research Center. Serum phospholipid levels will be measured in newborns with respiratory distress, newborns of mothers colonized by GBS, treated or untreated with beta-lactam during labor.