Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) causes neonatal disease and stillbirth, but its burden in sub-Saharan Africa is uncertain. We assessed maternal recto-vaginal GBS colonisation (7967 women), stillbirth and neonatal disease. Whole genome sequencing was used to determine serotypes, sequence types (ST), and phylogeny. We found low maternal GBS colonisation prevalence (934/7967, 12%), but comparatively high incidence of GBS-associated stillbirth and early onset neonatal disease (EOD) in hospital (0.91(0.25-2.3)/1000 births; 0.76(0.25-1.77)/1000 live-births respectively). However, using a population denominator, EOD incidence was considerably reduced (0.13(0.07-0.21)/1000 live-births). Treated cases of EOD had very high case fatality (17/36, 47%), especially within 24 hours of birth, making under-ascertainment of community-born cases highly likely, both here and in similar facility-based studies. Maternal GBS colonisation was less common in women with low socio-economic status, HIV infection and undernutrition, but when GBS-colonised, they were more likely colonised by the most virulent clone, CC17. CC17 accounted for 267/915(29%) of maternal colonising (265/267(99%) serotype III, 2/267(0.7%) serotype IV), and 51/73(70%) of neonatal disease cases (all serotype III). Trivalent (Ia/II/III) and pentavalent (Ia/Ib/II/III/V) vaccines would cover 71/73(97%) and 72/73(99%) of disease-causing serotypes respectively. Serotype IV should be considered for inclusion, with evidence of capsular switching in CC17 strains.

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Purpose: Breast cancer diagnosed at a younger age has aggressive biology being triple negative and high grade and is associated with poor prognosis.Materials and Methods: Retrospectively data of 121 patients age 30 years or younger registered during the year 2008 were reviewed. Data were extracted from the cancer registry department of the institute. Demographics studied were the age at diagnosis, gender, pregnancy or lactation association, family history of breast cancer, histopathological diagnosis, and stage of the disease, receptors, type of treatment, response, local recurrence, distant relapse, and survival. Results: A total of 121 patients with age 30 years or less were included. An only a single patient was male. The age range was from 20 to 30 years; bilateral involvement was seen in a single patient. Almost half 50.4% (n = 61) patients had locally advanced disease at presentation. Pregnancy/lactation-associated breast cancer was seen in 29.8% (n = 36). The most common stage was Stage III (52.1%) and Stage II (33.9%). Invasive ductal carcinoma was the most common histology 94.2% (n = 114) of patients; triple negative was the most common molecular subtype present in 46.3% (n = 56). Chemotherapy was received by 92.6% (n = 112), 88.4% (n = 107) patients received radiation therapy. Modi ed radical mastectomy was performed in 57% (n = 69), breast conservation surgery in 35.5% (n = 43), follow- up period was 5 years, local recurrence was observed in 12.4% (n = 15) and cancer related deaths were 42.1% (n = 51). Conclusions: Breast cancer in very young has very aggressive tumour biology, needs aggressive treatment with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormonal therapy. Key words: Breast cancer, pregnancy-associated aggressive tumour biology, triplenegative, young

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