The necessity of both anorectal and vaginal cultures for group B streptococcus screening during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Group B streptococcus (GBS) sepsis affects approximately 2 of every 1000 newborns. In an effort to decrease the incidence of neonatal GBS infection, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have established guidelines for screening and treatment during pregnancy. One strategy includes obtaining both vaginal and anorectal GBS cultures, then treating patients whose cultures are positive. Many of our patients are reluctant to undergo anorectal cultures. We conducted a study to determine whether performing cultures of both the vagina and anorectum would change patient management. METHODS: We obtained vaginal and anorectal GBS cultures from 222 consecutive patients at 35 to 37 weeks' gestation. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients (24.3%) had positive GBS cultures. Of those women, 10 (18.5%) had negative vaginal but positive rectal cultures. Thus, nearly one fifth of the patients with GBS colonization would not have received intrapartum antibiotics if only vaginal cultures had been performed. CONCLUSIONS: Health care providers caring for pregnant patients should consider obtaining both vaginal and anorectal cultures when screening for Group B streptococcus.

Modification of Pattern of Photosynthate Movement within and between Shoots of Vitis vinifera L.

During the prebloom and bloom stages, no movement of labeled photosynthates occurred from a shoot of Vitis vinifera L. fed with (14)CO(2), to an adjacent shoot on the same spur. Movement of labeled assimilates into the unfed shoot was induced when this shoot was sprayed with 2.89 x 10(-3)m gibberellic acid during the prebloom stage. During the bloom stage darkening or defoliation of the unfed shoot resulted in the import of labeled photosynthates from the adjacent fed shoot. Similarly, movement of (14)C into an untreated shoot was induced by removing the terminal 7.5 centimeters and deblossoming the fed shoot. During the berry set stage, translocation of labeled photosynthates from a newly exporting leaf was upwards to the shoot tip, but the direction of movement was reversed by removal of the shoot tip or by darkening or removal of the leaves below the fed leaf. Translocation of photosynthates was predominantly basipetal from a fed leaf near the base of the shoot during the berry set stage, but upward movement was induced by darkening or defoliation of the upper part of the shoot.

Influence of Benzyladenine, Leaf Darkening, and Ringing on Movement of C-labeled Assimilates Into Expanded Leaves of Vitis vinifera L.

Leaves of Vitis vinifera L., nearly fully expanded, imported only trace amounts of (14)C following assimilation of (14)CO(2) by a lower leaf on the same shoot, but benzyladenine (BA) application at 4.4 x 10(-3)m caused a marked increase in the movement of (14)C into these leaves. Older leaves near the shoot base were less responsive; BA treatment alone had little effect on import of labeled assimilates from adjacent leaves but when the BA-treated leaves were darkened there was an increased import of labeled materials. When these 2 treatments were combined and applied to leaves on shoots with ringed bases, relatively high levels of radioactivity were detected in the BA-treated leaves but under these conditions darkening, without the application of BA, also resulted in an increased import of (14)C. Accumulation of imported (14)C was found to be restricted to the area of the leaf blade treated with BA. Separation of labeled compounds in ethanol extracts of treated leaves showed a lower percentage of radioactivity present in the sugar fraction from BA-treated leaves and an increased percentage present in the amino acid fraction.