April 9, 2010

Symptoms and Treatment of Streptococcus Agalactiae

Posted in Category : Women's Health

Streptococcus agalactiae is yet another bacteria which has been known to cause various birth complications. This bacterium can lead to trouble for those who are pregnant as well as those who are delivering. However, it is not just those who face pregnancy who can get streptococcus agalactiae but also women who are healthy and not pregnant. However, in non-pregnant individuals, there are usually prior problems with health. The problem with bacteria is that they can be linked to numerous ailments and they can be incredibly resilient. The bacterium comes under the classification of the B Group of the general streptococcus family. The bacterium lives along with countless other microorganisms on a woman’s body. S. agalactiae, as it is often called, may be found around the body’s rectal tissue exterior in addition to the vaginal area. Though the bacteria can’t pass directly from mother to her unborn child, the danger is that it could be picked up by the child at the time of delivery. This is because at the time of delivery the bacteria mpves through the birth canal of the woman. While the fact remains that almost fifty per cent of the infants who have been tested positive for the Group B streptococcus infection. At the same time, bear in mind that when it is passed in this manner very few of such infants actually contract any health problems related to this infection.  One of the typical characteristics of streptococcus agalactiae is the fact that it can hydrolyze sodium hippurate. Another distinguishing feature of this bacterium is its sensitivity to bile since if it is exposed to this, it will lyse. It can cause a range of serious problems such as pneumonia or even, in later stages, meningitis. Symptoms of S. agalactiae include shock, breathing problems, lethargy, temperature that it unstable and even coma.

The problem which this bacterium is that doctors have not yet figured out how to deal with streptococcus agalactiae. Right now the focus is on the idea of S. agalactiae immunization in women before they hit childbearing age. However, the problem is that this idea is not universally accepted because of the risks involved. It is important to check with your doctor when dealing with this infection, particularly if think about pregnancy. In such cases, antibiotics may be used at the time of delivering a child, as a prophylactic measure. It could help to find natural measures to give your immune system that much needed boost. This would mean options like Vitamin C and garlic.