When colonizing the lower genital tract of pregnant women, GBS may cause premature birth and stillbirth. If transmitted to the newborn, it may result in life-threatening illnesses, including sepsis, meningitis, and pneumonia. Moreover, through continuous evolution, GBS can use its original structure and unique factors to greatly improve its survival rate in the human body. This review discusses the key virulence factors that facilitate GBS invasion and colonization and their action mechanisms. A comprehensive understanding of the role of virulence factors in GBS infection is crucial to develop better treatment options and screen potential candidate molecules for the development of the vaccine.
Yuxin Liu is a junior in the China-UK Dual Degree Joint Programme (Queen Mary University of London Biomedical Sciences, Nanchang University Clinical Medicine) with a 3.70 GPA in freshman and sophomore years and in the top 3% of thetwo years. She was twice awarded a special scholarship. She is the Project leader of the Gold Award in the8th China International Collage Students “Internet+” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition.