Knowledge gaps among South African healthcare providers regarding the prevention of neonatal group B streptococcal disease.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate obstetric healthcare provider knowledge regarding the prevention of group B streptococcal disease in South African infants.

METHODS: Questionnaires exploring knowledge, attitudes and beliefs around group B streptococcal prevention were administered to consenting doctors and maternity nurses in a tertiary academic hospital. Qualitative assessments (focus groups) were undertaken with junior doctors and nurses.

RESULTS: 238 participants completed the questionnaire: 150 (63.0%) doctors and 88 (37.0%) nurses. Overall, 22.7% of participants correctly identified the risk-based prevention protocol recommended at this hospital. Most doctors (68.0%) and nurses (94.3%) could not correctly list a single risk factor. A third of doctors did not know the correct antibiotic protocols, and most (80.0%) did not know the recommended timing of antibiotics in relation to delivery. Focus group discussions highlighted the lack of knowledge, awareness and effective implementation of protocols regarding disease prevention.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlighted knowledge gaps on the risk-based prevention strategy in a setting which has consistently reported among the highest incidence of invasive group B streptococcal disease globally. In these settings, education and prioritization of the risk-based intrapartum antibiotic strategy is warranted, but an alternative vaccine-based strategy may prove more effective in preventing invasive group B streptococcal disease in the long-term.