Avoiding Group B Strep Infections: Should You Just Move Away?

Learn how a woman with Group B strep infection suffers from libido.

Case #: 484

Concern：

Do you have any recommendations on prophylactic measures to keep me from getting Group B strep infections after sex?

Discussion：

Problems With The Treatment for GBS

Group B streptococcus is usually harmless to adults, and according to experts, 15-45 percent of all healthy women have this bacteria, which is usually found in the intestine, vagina and rectal areas. Do not confuse it with Group A strep, which causes strep throat and presents a health risk to babies still in the womb and newborns.

The most common treatment for a GBS infection is antibiotics; however, prolonged use of medications can further exacerbate the problem. And while bacteria may have a bad reputation, not all bacteria are bad for our health.

For example, Louis Pasteur life’s work is based on the importance in bacteria to dairy products while Dr. Joseph Semelweiss treated childbed fever by simply washing his hands before delivering babies. Both examples illustrate the deleterious power of good and bad bacteria. Sometimes, however, the “good” and the “bad” are either very similar bacterial strains.

Antibiotics Kill The Good Guys As Well As The Bad Guys

While no one can argue about the positive power of antibiotics, one recurring problem is the fact that they kill off good bacteria, which weakens the body’s immunity to infection.

Specifically, within the vagina antibiotics alter the balance between germs by decreasing the number of protective bacteria. There is also the creeping, unpleasant reality that more and more, bacteria are becoming resistant to the impact of antibiotics.

The bacteria buildup from antibiotics and other drugs if untreated may develop into more serious conditions, such as pelvic inflammatory disease. Herbal and homeopathic remedies together may only bring temporary relief, but they are effective in treating symptoms...(more)