Clinical presentations and epidemiology of β-haemolytic streptococcal bacteraemia: A population-based study

Abstract

In this population-based study, all 314 episodes of β-haemolytic streptococcal bacteraemia in adult patients in the Pirkanmaa area, Finland, during the 10-year period 1995-2004 were retrospectively reviewed. Altogether, 92 cases of bacteraemia caused by Lancefield group A β-haemolytic streptococci (GAS), 76 caused by group.B β-haemolytic streptococci (GBS), 18 caused by group C β-haemolytic streptococci (GCS) and 128 caused by group G β-haemolytic streptococci (GGS) were identified. The most important finding was that the incidence of GGS increased during the study period. Disruption of the cutaneous barrier was a very common predisposing factor in GAS and GGS bacteraemias. Skin infections were the presenting clinical manifestations in two-thirds of GAS and GGS bacteraemias. © 2009 The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.