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Estimating predictors of severity of Group A Streptococcus infection in pregnancy
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  • Lee Reicher,
  • Emmanuel Attali,
  • Omri Dominsky,
  • Yonni Cohen,
  • Jalal Abu-Hanna,
  • Ariel Many,
  • Yariv Yogev,
  • Yuval Fouks
Lee Reicher

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Emmanuel Attali
Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel. Affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
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Omri Dominsky
Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel. Affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
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Yonni Cohen
Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine
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Jalal Abu-Hanna
Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel. Affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
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Ariel Many
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Yariv Yogev
Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
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Yuval Fouks
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Abstract

Objective: To identify the clinical characteristics of pregnancy associated group A streptococcus (GAS) infection and predictors for intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Design: A retrospective cohort study of culture-proven pregnancy-related GAS infections. Setting and population: a tertiary university-affiliated hospital between 1/2008-7/2020. Methods: Review patient’s electronic records of patients. Main outcome measures: Incidence of pregnancy associated GAS, proportion given prophylaxis and admission to ICU. Results: Of the 143,750 who delivered during the study period, 66 (0.04%) were diagnosed as having a pregnancy associated GAS infection. Fifty-seven of them (86.3%) presented postpartum, and nine (13.6%) had septic abortions. The most common presenting signs and symptoms among puerperal GAS, were postpartum pyrexia (72%), abdominal pain and/or tenderness (33%), and tachycardia (>100 bpm, 22%). Thirteen women (19.6%) developed streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS): 10 of them delivered vaginally, two had caesarean deliveries. Predictors for STSS and ICU admission were: antibiotic administration >24 hours from presentation postpartum, tachycardia, and a C-reactive protein level >200 mg/L. Women that received antibiotic prophylaxis during labour had a significantly lower rate of STSS (0 vs 10, 22.7%; P = 0.04), as evidenced by the delayed interval from delivery to the first presentation of infection among those who received prophylaxis during labour (8 ± 4.8 vs 4.8 ± 4.2 hours, P = 0.008). Conclusion: Deferral of medical intervention >24 hours from the first registered abnormal sign had the most important impact on deterioration of women with invasive puerperal GAS. Antibiotic prophylaxis during labour in women with GAS may reduce complications