Clinicians get a faster GBS test

A new, rapid point-of-care test for group B streptococcus colonization (Cepheid GenXpert), was recently evaluated in a multicenter trial and reported at the annual meeting of the Infectious Disease Society for Obstetrics/Gynecology (IDSOG), held in Monterey, Calif. Dr. Rodney Edwards from the University of Florida reported that the sensitivity of the new test was 91% and the specificity was 96%, used in both antepartum and intrapartum clinical settings. Intrapartum tests were performed by Labor and Delivery nurses after a short training session. Using real-time PCR technology, results are usually available in 70 minutes, which should be timely enough to begin antibiotic prophylaxis for those mothers found to be colonized. Costs of the new technology, which has just been approved by the FDA, vary by locality, but average around $40 per specimen run.