Subtyping of Streptococcus bovis group bacteria is needed to fully understand the clinical value of Streptococcus gallolyticus (S. bovis biotype I) infection as early sign of colonic malignancy

Novel real-time PCR assays using TaqMan minor groove binder probes for identification of fecal carriage of Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex from rectal swab specimens

Real-time PCR based on the recN and gyrB genes was developed to detect four Streptococcus bovis/Streptococcus equinus complex (SBEC) subspecies from rectal swab specimens. The overall prevalence was 35.2%: Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (11.1%), S. gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus (13%), Streptococcus infantarius subsp. coli (20.4%), and S. infantarius subsp. infantarius (11.1%). To conclude, these real-time PCR assays provide a reliable molecular method to detect SBEC pathogenic subspecies from rectal swab specimens.

A bacterial driver-passenger model for colorectal cancer: beyond the usual suspects

Cancer has long been considered a genetic disease. However, accumulating evidence supports the involvement of infectious agents in the development of cancer, especially in those organs that are continuously exposed to microorganisms, such as the large intestine. Recent next-generation sequencing studies of the intestinal microbiota now offer an unprecedented view of the aetiology of sporadic colorectal cancer and have revealed that the microbiota associated with colorectal cancer contains bacterial species that differ in their temporal associations with developing tumours. Here, we propose a bacterial driver-passenger model for microbial involvement in the development of colorectal cancer and suggest that this model be incorporated into the genetic paradigm of cancer progression.

[Comparative analysis of antibiotic sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from patients and carriers]

The data on antibiotic sensitivity of 38 strains of S. pneumoniae isolated from children and 46 strains isolated from carriers are presented. The isolates from the carriers had significantly higher sensitivity to benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, methicillin, oxacillin, cefazolin, erythromycin, oleandomycin and lincomycin. Resistance to gentamicin was more frequent in the strains isolated from the carriers. Among the strains of S. pneumoniae isolated from the patients and carriers representatives of serovar K19 were more frequent. There were no statistically reliable difference in them by sensitivity to benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, cefazolin, lincomycin and rifampicin. Still, the isolates from the carriers were much more sensitive to methicillin, oxacillin, oleandomycin and erythromycin.