Background
Streptococcus agalactiae can cause a variety of diseases encompassing infective endocarditis (IE), bacteraemia and skin and soft tissue infections. While S. agalactiae is known for causing infections in neonates, it can also cause severe infections in adults, which is the focus of this study.
Methods
Episodes of S. agalactiae bacteraemia in adults that occurred in 2016-2023 in Skåne, southern Sweden were included. Medical records were reviewed and information on TTP was extracted from the department of Clinical Microbiology in Skåne. The primary outcome was set as a 30-day mortality rate and secondary outcomes as the development of sepsis within 48 hours from blood culture obtainment, and the presence of IE.
Results
A total of 450 adult patients with an episode of S. agalactiae bacteraemia were included in the study, of which 249 were men and 201 were women. Median age was 72 years (interquartile range (IQR 61-82)) and skin and soft tissue were the most common focus of infection. Median TTP from blood cultures with S. agalactiae taken from hospitals with incubator was 9.1 (IQR 7.7-10.2). There was no association with mortality, or development of sepsis with TTP. Patients with IE, however, had as a group a significantly lower TTP than patients without IE (p<0.01).
Conclusions
TTP might be of value in cases of bloodstream infection with S. agalactiae, to indicate patients where the risk of IE is high.