Streptococcus thermophilus bacteraemia in a patient with transient bowel ischaemia secondary to polycythaemia

Introduction: The ability of Streptococcus thermophilus to convert lactose into lactic acid has long been utilised by the dairy industry. A seemingly low-pathogenicity organism, there have been no previously published reports linking the consumption of foodstuffs to bacteraemia with this bacterium....

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Stephens, Joanna, Turner, David P.J.
Format: Article
Published: Microbiology Society 2015
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Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/34186/
Description
Summary:Introduction: The ability of Streptococcus thermophilus to convert lactose into lactic acid has long been utilised by the dairy industry. A seemingly low-pathogenicity organism, there have been no previously published reports linking the consumption of foodstuffs to bacteraemia with this bacterium. Case Presentation: Here we present a case of a regular consumer of Activia yoghurt who developed S. thermophilus bacteraemia probably due to transient bowel ischaemia secondary to polycythaemia. Conclusion: The isolation of this bacterium from blood cultures may indicate underlying large bowel pathology and should not necessarily be dismissed as contamination.