Group B Streptococcus

Infections are one of the key causes of newborn deaths. Among them, Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is the leading cause of sepsis and bacterial meningitis in the first 90 days of life. Fortunately, GBS vaccines for pregnant women, a powerful tool for fighting infections, are currently in development. Once vaccine trials are completed, these vaccines can stop preventable newborn deaths. The PReparing for Optimal Phase III/IV maTErnal Group B StreptococCal vaccine Trials in Africa (PROTECT) project, funded by the European \& Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP) and European Commission, is supporting medical sites in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Uganda to establish uniform pregnancy and infant health data collection processes. It is also establishing surveillance of GBS in newborns to determine incidence rates and measure the burden of disease. With better reporting systems, medical sites can participate in vaccine trials and monitor vaccine safety. At the same time, the consortium is working to understand the drivers of vaccine hesitancy and to develop culturally appropriate communication tools to facilitate engagement with vaccines. The end goal is to set up a network of sites that can monitor vaccine safety for current and future vaccines.

The goal of this registry is to collect and store important medical and non-health information on children from 0 to 18 years of age affected by early- (up to 24 hours after birth) and late-onset (up to 90 days after birth) invasive Group B Streptococcus (iGBS) and their families. Data collected from families of children affected by perinatal iGBS will support further research to understand the short- and long-term impact of iGBS disease on affected children and its impact on their families. Participants will be invited to complete obstetric and pregnancy-related questionnaires as well as validated neurodevelopmental surveys at various timepoints throughout their participation in the registry.