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Rapid detection of Group B Streptococcus~Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the commonest cause of life-threatening infections in newborn babies in the UK. Most GBS infections can be prevented with intravenous antibiotics, given at the onset of labour. This reduces the likelihood of early-onset GBS infection developing in a baby born to a woman carrying GBS at the time of delivery from around 1 in 300 to less than 1 in 6000.

This method is not routinely provided by the NHS. Two swabs (lower vaginal and rectal) need to be cultured at 35-37 weeks’ gestation to best predict colonisation with GBS around the time of delivery.Veolabs provides a high level service for testing of GBS using the ECM method for the detection of Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in pregnant women at the time of delivery or at any other stage of their pregnancy.

Veolabs has charged a nominal postage and handling fee of £2.50 for this test. This includes the request form, postal pathology pack containing 2 swabs in non-nutritive transport medium, and post paid padded envelope. The test when returned includes a form which will require a cheque to the value of £32.00 made out to Group B Strep Support, a registered charity, to complete the test.~What will I receive?

The method for testing is an enriched culture medium (ECM) specifically designed for the isolation of GBS in swabs. Two swabs (lower vaginal and rectal) need to be cultured at 35-37 weeks' gestation to best predict colonisation with GBS around the time of delivery.~Group B Streptococcus|VEO-5|~729~730~~