ABSTRACT This study assessed the
microbiology, clinical
syndromes, and outcomes of oncologic
patients with viridans group streptococci isolated from
blood cultures between January 1st, 2013 and December 31st, 2016 in a
referral hospital in
Mexico using the Bruker
MALDI Biotyper. Antimicrobial
sensitivity was determined using BD Phoenix 100 according to CLSI M100
standards. Clinical information was obtained from
medical records and descriptive
analysis was performed.Forty-three
patients were included, 22
females and 21
males,
aged 42 ± 17 years. Twenty (46.5%)
patients had hematological
cancer and 23 (53.5%) a solid
malignancy. The viridans group streptococci isolated were
Streptococcus mitis, 20 (46.5%);
Streptococcus anginosus, 14 (32.6%);
Streptococcus sanguinis, 7 (16.3%); and
Streptococcus salivarius, 2 (4.7%). The main
risk factors were pyrimidine antagonist
chemotherapy in 22 (51.2%) and
neutropenia in 19 (44.2%) cases, respectively. Central line associated
bloodstream infection was diagnosed in 18 (41.9%) cases.
Septic shock occurred in 20.9% of
patients, with an overall
mortality of 18.6%. Only four S. mitis revealed
penicillin-resistance.Our results are
similar to those of other series, identifying these
bacteria as emerging pathogens with significant
morbidity and
mortality in oncologic
patients. The
MALDI-TOF system increased the rate of viridans group streptococci isolation in this
population.