title: Three fatal cases of invasive serotype VI group B streptococcal infection.
abstract: Serotype VI group B Streptococcus (GBS) has been almost frequently isolated among colonizing strains of pregnant women in Japan, but the clinical features and prognosis, when a patient is invasively infected, are largely unknown. We report, for the first time, three cases of fatal infection caused by serotype VI GBS; two cases were middle-aged men with necrotizing fasciitis/cellulitis, sepsis, and toxic shock syndrome with poorly controlled diabetes as underlying conditions; and one was a premature infant with intrauterine infection. Our results indicated that type VI GBS is pathogenic for humans not only in fetuses but also adults, and has the ability to be fatal, at least in selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Nishi-Kobe Medical Center, 5-7-1 Kojidai, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2273, Japan. kskmatsu@s4.dion.ne.jp
authors.forename: Kousaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsubara
authors.forename: Hiroshige
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mikamo
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Numa
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kusano
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takamine
mesh_terms: D000031:Abortion, Septic / Q000382:microbiology; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002481:Cellulitis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D019115:Fasciitis, Necrotizing / Q000382:microbiology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents