London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Group B Strep (GBS) infection is caused by Group B Streptococcus. It is the most common cause of life-threatening infection and meningitis in newborn babies worldwide.

On average in the UK two babies develop group B Strep infection per day, one baby dies from GBS infection per week and another baby every week survives with long-term health issues. Several potential group B Strep vaccines for pregnant women are now in development with a view of giving these to women in pregnancy. 

This webinar will provide a background on the burden of GBS, explain mitigation strategies and reports from the charity that is helping parents to come to terms with an affected baby.

Speakers

Professor Beate Kampmann: Professor of Paediatric Infection and Immunity, Director of the Vaccine Centre, LSHTM & MRC Unit the Gambia at LSHTM Theme Leader

Professor Beate Kampmann joined the LSHTM from Imperial College London in May 2018 and is the Director of The Vaccine Centre @ LSHTM. She trained as a clinician-scientist in Paediatric Infectious Diseases in Germany, UK, France, USA and South Africa. Beate holds a Chair in Paediatric Infection & Immunity and was appointed as the Scientific Director (Theme Leader) for Vaccinology research at the MRC Unit the Gambia at LSHTM in July 2010. She directs a comprehensive childhood infection research program both in the UK and sub-saharan Africa.

As one of the three theme leaders at the MRC Unit the Gambia at LSHTM, she oversees all research activities in infant immunology, childhood tuberculosis and molecular diagnostics, which range from basic research into innate and acquired immune responses to infection and vaccination in pregnant women and infants and the conduct of clinical trials of novel vaccines, adjuvants adn administration modalities.

Over the last few years she has conducted a number of studies in both UK and West Africa  investigating the scientific and implementation challenges of maternal immunization.

She is the director of IMPRINT- the IMmunising PRegnant women and INfants network, one of the 5 MRC-funded networks for vaccines (www.imprint-network.co.uk).

Professor Joy Lawn: Professor of Maternal, Reproductive and Child Health, Director of the March Centre, LSHTM

Professor Joy Lawn is a trained paediatrician and perinatal epidemiologist with 30 years’ experience across many areas such as the design and evaluation of integrated maternal, newborn and child care services, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. She is Director of LSHTM’s MARCH (Maternal Adolescent, Reproductive & Child Health) Centre and has co-led a number of major Lancet series on newborn survival and stillbirths, as well as global studies including worldwide estimates of Group B Streptococcus infection.

Jane Plumb, MBE: Chief Executive and Founder of Charity Group B Strep Support

In 1996, Jane's second child, Theo, died aged 17½ hours from group B Strep infection. Jane and her husband, Robert set up UK charity Group B Strep Support to stop group B Strep infections in newborn babies; support families affected by GBS and their health professionals; and support relevant research. Jane still leads the charity, and works with many UK medical bodies to improve national standards of prevention, including the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, the UK National Screening Committee and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). She also works with MPs and the Department of Health & Social Care on improving the prevention of GBS infection in newborn babies.

#VaccinesWork for All 

Join the webinar

Full programme on LSHTM's World Immunisation Week 2020