Occurrence and Significance of Hemolytic Streptococci Groups B–U in Human Infectious Disease

Abstract

245 strains of hemolytic streptococci, isolated from 225 patients with infectious diseases, were grouped serologically according to Lancefield. About 40 % belonged to group B and half of them were found in the genito-urinary tract. Another 40 % belonged to the groups C and G, half of them being found in the respiratory tract and often as the only potentially pathogenic organism. About 10% of the isolates belonged to other of the groups E to T, including M streptococci, and were found under similar circumstances as the C and G isolates. The last 10% could not be referred to any of the groups A–U. In 4 cases group B streptococci were found as the only potentially pathogenic organism in typical erysipelas, and in 4 cases of septicemia the only bacterial finding from blood was a streptococcus of the groups B, C or G. In these cases, as in most others in which an etiological significance could be ascribed to streptococci of other groups than A, the patient was in a bad general condition, due to very high age, agranulocytosis, ethylism or narcomania.