Empyema caused by Streptococcus constellatus in a patient infected with HIV: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Empyema caused by Streptococcus constellatus (S. constellatus) is rare in patients with HIV. To analyze the clinical data of a patient living with HIV (PLHIV), who got empyema caused by S. constellatus, investigating the diagnosis and treatment of this disease through literature review to improve the clinical understanding of this disease. CASE PRESENTATION: We have reported here a 58-year-old male PLHIV with cough, wheezing, and fever for 20 days. He has a history type 2 diabetes, alcohol abuse, and a teeth extracted. Chest computed tomography revealed multiple encapsulated pleural effusions, pneumatosis, and partial compressive atelectasis in the right lung. Submission of pleural efusions timely, and then cultures revealed S. constellatus. After comprehensive treatment, including antibiotics, closed pleural drainage, and intrapleural injection of urokinase, the pleural efusion was absorbed, and chest computed tomography also confirmed the improvement. CONCLUSIONS: S. constellatus should not be neglected as a pus pathogen in patients with HIV. comprehensive treatment is important for empyema of S. constellatus.

Severe pneumonia with empyema caused by Parvimonas micra and Streptococcus constellatus co-infection: a case report.

Empyema is a common complication of pneumonia, caused by the accumulation of purulent exudate due to pathogenic bacteria invading the pleural cavity. Parvimonas micra and Streptococcus constellatus are pathogens that rarely cause pneumonia with empyema. Herein, a case of severe empyema caused by these two pathogens, confirmed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) of pleural effusion cultures, is reported. A male Chinese patient in his late sixties presented with wheezing, cough, sputum expectoration, and fever. Blood and sputum cultures were negative for pathogens, but the pleural effusion culture was positive for S. constellatus, and was also found to contain P. micra, confirmed by mNGS. The patient's symptoms improved after treatment with cefoperazone/sulbactam and moxifloxacin. Pneumonia caused by P. micra and S. constellatus is rare; however, coinfection with these pathogens may cause severe pneumonia, with or without empyema.

Case Report: Vision Loss in a Child Caused by Streptococcus constellatus.

PURPOSE: We present a rare case of Streptococcus constellatus -induced odontogenic orbital cellulitis. METHODS: An 8-year-old boy presented to an outpatient clinic with complaints of right-sided toothache, right eye swelling, and decreased visual acuity. He was referred to a pediatric critical care department for further management. Comprehensive diagnostic assessments, such as ophthalmic examination, blood tests, computed tomography, and MRI, were performed. RESULTS: On presentation, the best-corrected visual acuities were 20/250 and 20/20 in the right and left eyes, respectively. Examination revealed grade 2+ eyelid edema and erythema and grade 4+ chemosis and exophthalmos in the right eye. The patient displayed restricted eye movements in all directions. Blood tests revealed a total white blood cell count of 12,100 cells/µL. Axial and coronal computed tomography revealed right-sided maxillary sinus, ethmoidal sinus, and orbital abscesses. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with septicemia, orbital cellulitis, and orbital apex syndrome in the right eye. Intravenous antibiotics were administered; paracentesis of the orbital abscess was performed under local anesthesia. However, the patient's condition worsened, resulting in a complete loss of light perception in the right eye. Accordingly, surgery was performed under general anesthesia within 24 hours of admission; the surgery involved drainage of the orbital abscess through an inferior intraorbital incision, as well as drainage of the ethmoid sinus and maxillary sinus abscesses via nasal endoscopy. A culture obtained from the orbital abscess yielded S. constellatus . The infection was managed by a combination of surgical intervention, antibiotics, steroids, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. However, because of optic nerve injury, vision in the affected eye partially recovered to 20/200. CONCLUSIONS: Streptococcus constellatus -induced pediatric orbital cellulitis can result in significant morbidity. The significant improvement in vision, from no light perception to 20/200, emphasizes the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment in patients who present with acute orbital cellulitis and vision loss symptoms.

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis caused by Streptococcus constellatus: A case report and review of the literature.

RATIONALE: Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is a rare but severe mediastinal infection. If not diagnosed and treated promptly, the consequences can be very serious. Here, we shared a successful diagnosis and treatment case of DNM that originates from oral to neck and mediastinum caused by Streptococcus constellatus (S constellatus). S constellatus is a clinically uncommon gram-positive coccus and is known for its ability to form abscesses. Timely surgical drainage and the correct use of antibiotics are key to successful treatment. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 53-year-old male admitted to hospital with painful swelling of the right cheek, persistent oral pus and moderate fever lasting 1 week, followed by rapid development of a mediastinal abscess. DIAGNOSES: He was diagnosed with DNM caused by S constellatus. INTERVENTIONS: On the evening of admission, an emergency tracheotomy and thoracoscopic exploration and drainage of the right mediastinum, floor of the mouth, parapharynx and neck abscess were performed. Antibiotics were administered immediately. OUTCOMES: At 28 days post-operatively, the abscess was absorbed, bilateral lung exudate decreased and the patient temperature, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, bilirubin and platelets returned to normal. The patient was discharged after completing 4 weeks of antibiotic therapy. Follow-up at 3 months after discharge revealed no recurrence of the abscess. LESSONS: Early surgical drainage and antibiotics treatment are important in mediastinal abscesses and infectious shock due to Streptococcus asteroids.

Necrotizing fasciitis due to Streptococcus constellatus in a patient with uncontrolled diabetes and bilateral diabetic foot ulceration.

INTRODUCTION: Streptococcus constellatus is commensal flora of the oropharyngeal, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts with a proclivity for abscess formation. Bacteremia due to S constellatus is rare; however, rising incidences have been reported, particularly in patients with diabetes. Prompt surgical debridement and antibiotic therapy with a cephalosporin are the mainstays of treatment. CASE REPORT: The case presented here involves a patient with poorly controlled diabetes who had necrotizing soft tissue infection secondary to S constellatus. The infection originated from bilateral diabetic foot ulcerations that led to bacteremia and sepsis. CONCLUSION: Immediate source control with wide and aggressive surgical debridement, initial empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy followed by tailored treatment based on deep operative cultures, and staged closure led to effective limb-salvage and life-sparing intervention for this patient.

Streptococcus constellatus causing concomitant extra and intracranial abscesses complicated with sagittal sinus thrombosis.

Streptococcus constellatus is a gram-positive coccus member of the Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG). It can be found in the oral flora, and may cause abscess more commonly in the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and heart. Brain abscesses are severe neurological infections with high mortality rates. Streptococcus species other than S. pneumoniae are rare causes of brain abscesses. This case report highlights a severe case of extra and intracranial abscesses due to S. constellatus in an immunocompetent host.

A Rare Case of Primary Purulent Pericarditis Caused by Streptococcus constellatus.

Background: Bacteria-caused acute pericarditis is a very rare entity. It is usually associated with an underlying infection or compromised immune system. Primary purulent pericarditis in a previously healthy individual is highly unexpected; therefore, it is likely to have a delayed diagnosis and poor outcomes. Case: We report a case of an adult immunocompetent patient with primary bacterial pericarditis caused by a member of the commensal oral flora Streptococcus constellatus. The patient presented with septic shock and cardiac tamponade, and was further complicated with constrictive pericarditis, which was successfully treated with pericardiectomy. Conclusions: Bacterial pericarditis is a fulminant disease with a high mortality and complication rate. Fast recognition and prompt therapy are required to achieve a full recovery.

Intra-abdominal abscess caused by Streptococcus constellatus in an immunocompetent patient.

Streptococcus constellatus is a Gram-positive commensal bacterium of the oropharyngeal, gastrointestinal and urogenital flora. It can cause abscesses in different parts of the body, especially in immunocompromised patients. We present the clinical case of a 33-year-old female patient with a previous history of one anastomosis gastric bypass, among others. The patient was hospitalized two years after surgery for peritonitis secondary to a perforation in the biliopancreatic loop, underwent laparoscopic surgery and was hospitalised for two weeks. Fifteen days after being discharged from the hospital, she went to the emergency service for abdominal pain and fever. An abdominal and pelvic computerized tomography (CT) scan showed a multiloculated pelvic collection with thickened and hypercapillary walls.

Absceso intraabdominal por Streptococcus constellatus en paciente inmunocompetente / Intra-abdominal abscess caused by Streptococcus constellatus in an immunocompetent patient

Streptococcus constellatus is a Gram-positive commensal bacterium of the oropharyngeal, gastrointestinal and urogenital flora. It can cause abscesses in different parts of the body, especially in immunocompromised patients. We present the clinical case of a 33-year-old female patient with a previous history of one anastomosis gastric bypass, among others. The patient was hospitalized two years after surgery for peritonitis secondary to a perforation in the biliopancreatic loop, underwent laparoscopic surgery and was hospitalised for two weeks. Fifteen days after being discharged from the hospital, she went to the emergency service for abdominal pain and fever. An abdominal and pelvic computerized tomography (CT) scan showed a multiloculated pelvic collection with thickened and hypercapillary walls (AU)

Infecciones por estreptococos del grupo S. anginosus en pediatría / S. anginosus group streptococcal infections in children

Los estreptococos del grupo Streptococcus anginosus (EGA), también llamados "Streptococcus milleri", fueron reconocidos como parte de los estreptococos del grupo viridans (EGV) desde principios del siglo XX. Su rol como patógenos humanos, sin embargo comenzó a destacarse recién en la década de 1970. En esta actualización se describen aspectos microbiológicos y clínicos de los EGA. Los métodos fenotípicos de identificacón e incluso algunos genotípicos carecen de precisión para reconocer las tres especies del grupo (Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus constellatus y Streptococcus intermedius) e incluso pueden fallar en su clasificación a nivel de grupo. La mayoría de ellos son sensibles a los antibióticos beta-lactámicos pero son considerables los porcentajes de resistencia a macrólidos, lincosamidas y tetraciclinas. Los EGA son colonizantes habituales de las mucosas orofaríngea, intestinal y genitourinaria, pero, cada vez más frecuentemente, son reconocidos como patógenos humanos. Es ampliamente conocida su capacidad de formar abscesos en órganos sólidos, especialmente abscesos cerebrales, pulmonares y hepáticos. También producen sinusitis, empiemas y colecciones en piel y tejidos blandos, hueso, articulaciones, etc. Se han encontrado asociados con exacerbaciones pulmonares en pacientes con fibrosis quística y con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica. Producen también infecciones posteriores a mordeduras humanas, infecciones diseminadas, bacteriemia sin foco aparente y, en menor medida, endocarditis infecciosa (AU)

Streptococci from the Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG), also termed "Streptococcus milleri", were recognized as members of the viridans group streptococci (VGS) in the early 20th century. Nevertheless, their role as human pathogens only became evident in the 1970s. In this update, microbiological and clinical aspects of the SAG are described. Phenotypic and even some genotypic identification methods lack accuracy in recognizing the three species of the group (Streptococcus anginosus, Streptococcus constellatus, and Streptococcus intermedius) and may fail to classify them at the group level. Most of them are sensitive to beta-lactam antibiotics but rates of resistance to macrolides, lincosamides, and tetracyclines are significant. SAGs are common colonizers of the oropharyngeal, intestinal, and genitourinary mucosa, but are increasingly recognized as human pathogens. Their ability to form abscesses in solid organs, especially brain, lung and liver, is widely known. They may produce sinusitis, empyemas, and collections in skin and soft tissues, bone, joints, etc. They have also been associated with pulmonary exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In addition, they may cause infections following human bites, disseminated infections, bacteremia without apparent focus, and, to a lesser extent, infective endocarditis (AU)

[Suppurative Thrombophlebitis of the Posterior Neck Caused by Streptococcus constellatus: A Case Report and Literature Review].

We report a rare case of suppurative thrombophlebitis of the posterior neck caused by Streptococcus constellatus. A 69-year-old female patient was admitted to the hospital with neck pain and fever, which had persisted for 16 days prior to hospitalization. On day 1 (day of admission), blood cultures (later identifying S. constellatus) were performed, and ceftriaxone (CTRX) IV (2 g SID) was started. On day 3, suppurative thrombophlebitis of the posterior neck was diagnosed by CT scan. The antimicrobials were changed from CTRX to ampicillin/sulbactam IV (12 g QID) to guard against the possibility of complicated infection with Fusobacterium spp. or Prevotella spp. On day 17, a CT scan revealed that the thrombus remained. Therefore, oral edoxaban (30 mg SID) was started. On day 27, the patient was discharged after her medication was changed to oral amoxicillin/clavulanate (1500 mg/375 mg TID). On day 33, the amoxicillin/clavulanate was changed to oral cefaclor (1500 mg TID) and edoxaban was discontinued due to itching. On day 45, the course of cefaclor was completed. The patient went on to follow an uneventful course with no relapses or complications for two years since the conclusion of treatment. These results suggest that when a patient presents with persistent neck pain accompanied by fever, suppurative thrombophlebitis of the posterior neck should be considered. In antimicrobial therapy, the treatment could be switched from intravenous to oral. In addition, direct-acting oral anticoagulants may be an alternative to other forms of anticoagulants.

Fecal Signatures of Streptococcus anginosus and Streptococcus constellatus for Noninvasive Screening and Early Warning of Gastric Cancer.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Most patients with gastric cancer (GCa) are diagnosed at an advanced stage. We aimed to investigate novel fecal signatures for clinical application in early diagnosis of GCa. METHODS: This was an observational study that included 1043 patients from 10 hospitals in China. In the discovery cohort, 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis was performed in paired samples (tissues and feces) from patients with GCa and chronic gastritis (ChG) to determine differential abundant microbes. Their relative abundances were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to test them as bacterial candidates in the training cohort. Their diagnostic efficacy was validated in the validation cohort. RESULTS: Significant enrichments of Streptococcus anginosus (Sa) and Streptococcus constellatus (Sc) in GCa tumor tissues (P < .05) and feces (P < .0001) were observed in patients with intraepithelial neoplasia, early and advanced GCa. Either the signature parallel test Sa∪Sc or single signature Sa/Sc demonstrated superior sensitivity (Sa: 75.6% vs 72.1%, P < .05; Sc: 84.4% vs 64.0%, P < .001; and Sa∪Sc: 91.1% vs 81.4%, P < .01) in detecting early GCa compared with advanced GCa (specificity: Sa: 84.0% vs 83.9%, Sc: 70.4% vs 82.3%, and Sa∪Sc: 64.0% vs 73.4%). Fecal signature Sa∪Sc outperformed Sa∪CEA/Sc∪CEA in the discrimination of advanced GCa (sensitivity: 81.4% vs 74.2% and 81.4% vs 72.3%, P < .01; specificity: 73.4% vs 81.0 % and 73.4% vs 81.0%). The performance of Sa∪Sc in the diagnosis of both early and advanced GCa was verified in the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: Fecal Sa and Sc are noninvasive, accurate, and sensitive signatures for early warning in GCa. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT04638959).

Empyema caused by Streptococcus constellatus: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Streptococcus constellatus is a member of Streptococcus anginosus group (SAG) that tends to cause pyogenic infections in various sites. However, Streptococcus constellatus is easily ignored by routine clinical laboratory tests for its prolonged anaerobic culture environment. CASE PRESENTATION: A 71-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to productive cough, fever, chest pain and shortness of breath for 3 weeks. Chest computed tomography showed patchy opacities and right-sided pleural effusion, so a chest tube was inserted and purulent and hemorrhagic fluid was aspirated. The routine etiological examinations of the pleural effusion were all negative, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) detected Streptococcus constellatus. Intravenous piperacillin-tazobactam 4.5 g every 8 h was used accordingly. The patient recovered and subsequent chest computed tomography confirmed the improvement. CONCLUSIONS: We reported a case of empyema secondary to Streptococcus constellatus infection, which was identified by NGS, instead of bacterial culture. This case highlights the utility of NGS in detecting pathogens negative in traditional bacterial tests.