Objective: Streptococcus bovis includes variants related to colorectal cancer and non-urinary infections. Its role as urinary pathogen is unknown. Our objective was to assess the presence of urinary infection by S. bovis, analysing the patients and subsequent clinical course.
Methods: Observational study, with longitudinal data collection, performed at our centre between all the cultures requested between February and April 2015. Clinical course of the patients and response to treatment were analysed.
Results: Two thousand five hundred and twenty urine cultures were analysed, of which 831 (33%) had a significant microbial count. S. bovis was isolated in 8 patients (0.96%). In 75% of these cases the urine culture was requested because of urinary tract infection symptoms; the remaining 25% because of fever of uncertain source; during the follow-up period no evidence of cancer or endocarditis was detected. S. gallolyticus subspecie pasteurianus was the only variant observed (100%). The clinical response to initial treatment was favourable in all cases.
Conclusions: S. bovis bacteriuria may have clinical significance, especially when S. gallolyticus subspecies pasteurianus is isolated in cases with underlying urinary tract disease.