The clinical features of respiratory infections caused by the Streptococcus anginosus group

The Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG) play important roles in respiratory infections. It is ordinarily difficult to distinguish them from contaminations as the causative pathogens of respiratory infections because they are often cultured in respiratory specimens. Therefore, it is important to unde...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BMC pulmonary medicine 2015-10, Vol.15 (1), p.133-133, Article 133
Main Authors: Noguchi, Shingo, Yatera, Kazuhiro, Kawanami, Toshinori, Yamasaki, Kei, Naito, Keisuke, Akata, Kentaro, Shimabukuro, Ikuko, Ishimoto, Hiroshi, Yoshii, Chiharu, Mukae, Hiroshi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use
Blood cell count
Care and treatment
Cerebrovascular Disorders - epidemiology
Cohort Studies
Comorbidity
Complications and side effects
Diabetes Mellitus - epidemiology
Drainage
Empyema, Pleural - epidemiology
Empyema, Pleural - physiopathology
Empyema, Pleural - therapy
Female
Humans
Lung Abscess - epidemiology
Lung Abscess - physiopathology
Lung Abscess - therapy
Male
Medical research
Medicine, Experimental
Middle Aged
Physiological aspects
Pleural Effusion - epidemiology
Pleural Effusion - physiopathology
Pleural Effusion - therapy
Pneumonia, Bacterial - epidemiology
Pneumonia, Bacterial - physiopathology
Pneumonia, Bacterial - therapy
Pulmonology
Retrospective Studies
Risk factors
Sex Distribution
Smoking - epidemiology
Streptococcal Infections - epidemiology
Streptococcal Infections - physiopathology
Streptococcal Infections - therapy
Streptococcus anginosus - isolation & purification
Streptococcus constellatus - isolation & purification
Streptococcus intermedius - isolation & purification
Streptococcus milleri Group - isolation & purification
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Summary:The Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG) play important roles in respiratory infections. It is ordinarily difficult to distinguish them from contaminations as the causative pathogens of respiratory infections because they are often cultured in respiratory specimens. Therefore, it is important to understand the clinical characteristics and laboratory findings of respiratory infections caused by the SAG members. The aim of this study is to clarify the role of the SAG bacteria in respiratory infections. A total of 30 patients who were diagnosed with respiratory infections which were caused by the SAG bacteria between January 2005 and February 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. Respiratory infections caused by the SAG were mostly seen in male patients with comorbid diseases and were typically complicated with pleural effusion. Pleural effusion was observed in 22 (73.3%) patients. Empyema was observed in half of the 22 patients with pleural effusion. S. intermedius, S. constellatus and S. anginosus were detected in 16 (53.3 %), 11 (36.7 %) and 3 (10.0 %) patients, respectively. Six patients had mixed-infections. The duration from the onset of symptoms to the hospital visit was significantly longer in "lung abscess" patients than in "pneumonia" patients among the 24 patients with single infections, but not among the six patients with mixed-infection. The peripheral white blood cell counts of the "pneumonia" patients were higher than those of the "lung abscess" patients and S. intermedius was identified significantly more frequently in patients with pulmonary and pleural infections (pneumonia and lung abscess) than in patients with bacterial pleurisy only. In addition, the patients in whom S. intermedius was cultured were significantly older than those in whom S. constellatus was cultured. Respiratory infections caused by the SAG bacteria tended to be observed more frequently in male patients with comorbid diseases and to more frequently involve purulent formation. In addition, S. intermedius was mainly identified in elderly patients with having pulmonary infection complicated with pleural effusion, and the aspiration of oral secretions may be a risk factor in the formation of empyema thoracis associated with pneumonia due to S. intermedius.
ISSN:1471-2466
1471-2466
DOI:10.1186/s12890-015-0128-6