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Streptococcus: Notifiable Diseases

Answer

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) plays a key role in addressing group B streptococcus (GBS) infection both through routine service activities and innovative research.

The UKHSA does not believe that there is a rationale at present for GBS being added to the Health Protection Notification Regulations. There are no immediate and specific public health actions required to be taken in response to a case being diagnosed. Whilst periods of enhanced surveillance suggest routine surveillance may be underestimating numbers of infections, this has not been audited to identify the source and reason for discrepancies between different sources of reports during these periods. Given the largely automated nature of laboratory surveillance, making GBS notifiable would not necessarily address any deficits in reporting.

The list of notifiable disease is kept under review by the Department with the UKHSA involvement. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/health-protection-notification-regulations-2010-proposed-amendments/outcome/government-response-to-the-health-protection-notification-regulations-2010-proposed-amendments

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

100121

Session

2024-26

Related items

Streptococcus: Notifiable Diseases
Monday, 24 November 2025
Written questions
House of Commons

Subjects

Notifiable diseases Streptococcus

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk