A positive Group B Strep antigen test does not necessarily mean that someone
has this bacteria.  This can only be confirmed by a culture.    A false
positive can lead to inappropriate antibiotic treatment and prolonged
hospitalization.  All this test does is detect the presence of an antigen
not
the organism itself.

So if only this test is done without a culture, a cascade of events
occurs--induction which may lead to a C-section which may lead to
complications, etc.  This all may lead to mother-baby separation and no
breastfeeding or restricted breastfeeding.

This is quite similiar to what occurs with a positive hiv test which is a
test that only detects antibodies to hiv not the virus itself.  Only the end
result in the USA is no breastfeeding. Strangely enough, studies on human
lactoferrin show that it inactivates Strep B.  And even more strangely
studies show that human lactoferrin inactivates hiv.  In fact a number of
drugs and supplements are based on these studies.

So we discourageor inhibit breastfeeding but we buy the drugs that are based
on what human lactoferrin can do in regard to these diseases...rather
interesting and ironical.  Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

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