Enterococci currently account for approximately 10% of all bacteraemias, reflecting remarkable changes in their epidemiology. However, population-based data of enterococcal bacteraemia are scarce. A population-based cohort study comprised all patients with a first episode of Enterococcus faecalis or Enterococcus faecium bacteraemia in two Danish regions during 2006-2009. We used data collected prospectively during clinical microbiological counselling and hospital registry data. We determined the incidence of mono- and polymicrobial bacteraemia and assessed clinical and microbiological characteristics as predictors of 30-day mortality in monomicrobial bacteraemia by logistic regression analysis. We identified 1145 bacteraemic patients, 700 (61%) of whom had monomicrobial bacteraemia. The incidence was 19.6/100 000 person-years (13.0/100 000 person-years for E. faecalis and 6.6/100 000 person-years for E. faecium). The majority of bacteraemias were hospital-acquired (E. faecalis, 45.7%; E. faecium, 85.2%). Urinary tract and intra-abdominal infections were the predominant foci for the two species, respectively. Infective endocarditis (IE) accounted for 25% of patients with community-acquired E. faecalis bacteraemia. Thirty-day mortality was 21.4% in patients with E. faecalis and 34.6% in patients with E. faecium. Predictors of 30-day mortality included age, co-morbidity and hospital-acquired bacteraemia. In addition, intra-abdominal infection, unknown focus and high-level gentamicin resistance were predictors of mortality in E. faecalis patients. E. faecium was associated with increased risk of mortality compared with E. faecalis. The study emphasizes the importance of enterococci both in terms of incidence and prognosis. The frequency of IE in patients with E. faecalis bacteraemia emphasizes the importance of echocardiography, especially in community-acquired cases.

SAB patients carry a high risk for development of IE, which is associated with a worse prognosis compared with uncomplicated SAB. The presenting symptoms and clinical findings associated with IE are often non-specific and echocardiography should always be considered as part of the initial evaluation of SAB patients.

Background: Streptococci frequently cause infective endocarditis (IE), yet the prevalence of IE in patients with bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by different streptococcal species is unknown. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of IE at species level in patients with streptococcal BSIs. Methods: We investigated all patients with streptococcal BSIs, from 2008 to 2017, in the Capital Region of Denmark. Data were crosslinked with Danish nationwide registries for identification of concomitant hospitalization with IE. In a multivariable logistic regression analysis, we investigated the risk of IE according to streptococcal species adjusted for age, sex, ≥3 positive blood culture bottles, native valve disease, prosthetic valve, previous IE, and cardiac device. Results: Among 6506 cases with streptococcal BSIs (mean age 68.1 years [SD 16.2], 52.8% men) the IE prevalence was 7.1% (95% CI, 6.5–7.8). The lowest IE prevalence was found with Streptococcus pneumoniae ( S pneumoniae ) 1.2% (0.8–1.6) and Spyogenes 1.9% (0.9–3.3). An intermediary IE prevalence was found with Sanginosus 4.8% (3.0–7.3), Ssalivarius 5.8% (2.9–10.1), and Sagalactiae 9.1% (6.6–12.1). The highest IE prevalence was found with Smitis/oralis 19.4% (15.6–23.5), Sgallolyticus (formerly Sbovis ) 30.2% (24.3–36.7), Ssanguinis 34.6% (26.6–43.3), Sgordonii 44.2% (34.0–54.8), and Smutans 47.9% (33.3–62.8). In multivariable analysis using S pneumoniae as reference, all species except S pyogenes were associated with significantly higher IE risk, with the highest risk found with S gallolyticus odds ratio (OR) 31.0 (18.8–51.1), S mitis/oralis OR 31.6 (19.8–50.5), S sanguinis OR 59.1 (32.6–107), S gordonii OR 80.8 (43.9–149), and S mutans OR 81.3 (37.6–176). Conclusions: The prevalence of IE in streptococcal BSIs is species dependent with S mutans, S gordonii, S sanguinis, S gallolyticus , and S mitis/oralis having the highest IE prevalence and the highest associated IE risk after adjusting for IE risk factors.

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