Occurrence and Significance of Hemolytic Streptococci Groups B–U in Human Infectious Disease

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Abstract
245 strains of hemolytic streptococci, isolated from 225 patients with infectious diseases, were grouped serologically according to Lancefield. About 40 % belonged to group B and half of them were found in the genito-urinary tract. Another 40 % belonged to the groups C and G, half of them being found in the respiratory tract and often as the only potentially pathogenic organism. About 10% of the isolates belonged to other of the groups E to T, including M streptococci, and were found under similar circumstances as the C and G isolates. The last 10% could not be referred to any of the groups A–U. In 4 cases group B streptococci were found as the only potentially pathogenic organism in typical erysipelas, and in 4 cases of septicemia the only bacterial finding from blood was a streptococcus of the groups B, C or G. In these cases, as in most others in which an etiological significance could be ascribed to streptococci of other groups than A, the patient was in a bad general condition, due to very high age, agranulocytosis, ethylism or narcomania.