Hospital-based study of viridans streptococcal bacteraemia in children and adults

SummaryObjectivesTo assess the proportion and clinical significance of bacteraemia caused by viridans streptococci (VS) in immunocompetent adults and children.MethodsOver a 25-month period, we collected data on all patients with VS bacteraemia at a UK district general hospital.ResultsVS caused 50/723 (6.9%) adult and 13/106 (12.3%) paediatric community-acquired bacteraemias. Of the 43 adult and 12 paediatric patient notes reviewed, 26 (47.3%) cultures were of ‘definite’ or ‘probable’ clinical significance. No patients were neutropenic and overall penicillin resistance was 11/55 (20.0%). Amongst adults, there were five (11.6%) confirmed or suspected cases of infective endocarditis compared to none in the paediatric cohort. Similar proportions of adults (16.3%) and children (16.7%) had lower respiratory tract infections. Among non-significant cultures, a history of seizures was observed in one (1.3%) adult and four (33.3%) children (p = 0.008). Thirty-day mortality was 7.3%. No children and four adults died, one directly attributable to infection. Median adult inpatient stay was 11 days compared to 2 days in the paediatric population (p = 0.003).ConclusionDespite cases of infective endocarditis and an incidence of penicillin resistance of 20%, mortality directly attributable to VS infection in immunocompetent adults and children was rare.