§ Mrs. OrganTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many babies were born with meningitis as a result of the mother carrying the Group B streptococcus bacteria in each of the last three years. [52039]
§ Mr. BoatengThe figures presented are derived from laboratory reports of culture-confirmed cases in England presenting in the first week of life. This may not be a complete estimate of neonatal disease due to Group B streptococci since not all cases are reported to the Public Health Laboratory Service. The laboratory reports are either from blood or cerebrospinal fluid or other specimens which indicated meningitis as a clinical feature.
372WThe disease in neonates may present as bacteraemia or meningitis or both. It is difficult to establish, beyond doubt, whether Group B streptococcal infection is the result of vertical transmission, but infection in the first week of life is highly likely to have been acquired from the mother. This association decreases as the age of the baby increases.
Year Number of reports 1995 243 1996 220 19971 258 1 Data for 1997 are provisional at this stage. Data supplied by Public Health Laboratory Service
§ Mrs. OrganTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will carry out a comparative cost analysis of conducting a standard urine test for all pregnant mothers to detect Group B streptococcus and the cost of treatment for babies born with meningitis; [52040]
(2) if a standard urine test is carried out for all pregnant women to determine if they are Group B streptococcus carriers. [52042]
§ Mr. BoatengThe National Screening Committee considers the effectiveness and feasibility of individual population screening programmes and advises Ministers about their introduction. It is currently not known whether the introduction of screening for asymptomatic urinary infection (including Group B streptococcus) would be beneficial in reducing the risk of meningitis in new-born babies, but all the related research evidence will be taken into account by the National Screening Committee's Antenatal sub-group in its forward programme, before making recommendations to Ministers.
The standard urine test given to all pregnant women checks for, among other things, signs of protein which may indicate the presence of an infection. If an infection is indicated, a urine sample is sent for further laboratory investigation which would identify women who are Group B streptococcus carriers.