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Streptococcus thermophilus bacteraemia in a patient with transient bowel ischaemia secondary to polycythaemia
Abstract
Introduction:
The ability of Streptococcus thermophilus to convert lactose into lactic acid has long been utilized by the dairy industry. A seemingly low-pathogenicity organism, to the best of our knowledge there have been no previously published reports linking the consumption of foodstuffs to bacteraemia caused by 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.
- Received:
- Accepted:
- Published Online:
© 2015 The Authors