Clinical presentation
The most common presenting signs and symptoms of infection among
puerperal GAS infection were postpartum fever (48 patients, 84.2%),
abdominal pain and/or tenderness (22, 38.5%), and/or tachycardia (15,
26.8%). Less common symptoms were back pain, headache, weakness, and
dyspnoea. Cultures positive for GAS infection were obtained from various
body sites and sterile liquids, mostly from the female genital tract
(uterus, cervix, vagina, lochia, and placenta, 66%), followed by blood
(36%), urine (13%), caesarean delivery and episiotomy wounds (6%).
There were 28 puerperal women (49.1%) with GAS-positive cultures
originating from more than one sites.