My friends baby has Strep B, is my baby at risk if we visit?

[1sttimemama1986]

Hi, anyone know if strep b is contagious. My friend's baby is approx 14 weeks old, my DS is 8 weeks tomorrow. Friend has invited us round for catch up but anxious if my DS would be at risk?

Any advice / views appreciated X

[SpeakNoWords]

Do you mean the baby had a strep b infection at birth? It would have been treated with antibiotics and resolved by now.

Strep b is carried by lots of people in their digestive systems etc, but your baby is extremely extremely unlikely to develop a strep b infection just from visiting the house of a baby who has had strep b in the past.

[1sttimemama1986]

Thank you for this. The baby has just been diagnosed last week with the strep presenting with skin issues such as impetigo (this has cleared up) and some fungal infection in the crease of his neck. He's on antibiotics?

[noblegiraffe]

Are you sure it's group B strep? That's extremely serious and causes septicaemia, pneumonia or meningitis. My DS had group B strep and we were in hospital for a week while he had extremely strong intravenous antibiotics, chest X-Ray's, lumbar puncture and blood tests.

[SpeakNoWords]

Oh, ok. Impetigo is infectious so that would be a concern, but not if its cleared up now. I thought impetigo was caused by strep a, but I guess it doesn't matter!

I would perhaps be cautious about touching the baby, but thorough hand washing afterwards if you do should be fine.

[1sttimemama1986]

Thanks both. I had queried with my friend but to be honest I'm not sure she's right and perhaps misunderstood? My DS was poorly at birth with IV antibiotics for suspected strep b.

I looked up strep a and this seems to match her symptoms.

I asked her about his diagnosis and if contagious. She had no idea which surprises me as she has a toddler and goes to all sorts of groups eeek. Xx

[ElsaAintAsColdAsMe]

My dd had strep a in her lung at the start of this year. It was really nasty (speticima and operation nasty) the nurses had to wear masks when they came in to see her and we were in isolation until the iv antibiotics were finished.

It is unlikely that you would catch it but it's certainly not impossible. It should be safe when the anti biotics are done.

In all honesty strep a can be so nasty I wouldn't be taking any risks at all with it.

I also wouldn't go over if the child has impetigo anyway though.

[SpeakNoWords]

I had to keep my son off nursery when he had impetigo until he'd had treatment for 48 hrs.

I guess I just would be very careful about hand hygiene but still go and see her if you want to.

[bethwalker85]

If they're being treated with antibiotics it shouldn't be an issue as the infection should have started to heal up now. Impetigo is contagious but if this has started to clear up it should be fine.