Summary
Aim: To identify Streptococcus bovis bacteraemia episodes and their clinical associations, including differences in associations by S. bovis biotypes (or species).
Methods: The study was performed at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane. Streptococcus bovis blood culture results for 1999–2006 were retrieved. Patient data including diagnosis and investigations were retrospectively obtained from clinical records and compared with the microbiological result, including S. bovis biotype/species.
Results: Twenty evaluable S. bovis bacteraemia episodes were identified. Ten were S. bovis biotype I (Streptococcus gallolyticus subspecies gallolyticus) and 10 S. bovis II. For S. bovis I infections, six patients had a diagnosis of infective endocarditis. Nine had assessment for colonic pathology and all had malignant or premalignant colonic lesions. Of patients with S. bovis II infections, two were diagnosed with endocarditis and six had a hepatobiliary source of infection. Of five patients assessed in this group, three had premalignant colonic lesions.
Conclusions: Endocarditis and hepatobiliary infections were the main causes of S. bovis bacteraemia. Endocarditis was diagnosed in the majority of S. bovis I bacteraemias and all patients assessed in this group had premalignant/malignant colonic lesions. Determining S. bovis biotype/species provides information on likely clinical associations of bacteraemia episodes.