title: Aerococcus Viridans: A Rare Pathogen Causing Urinary Tract Infection.
abstract: Aerococci are Gram-positive cocci with colony morphology similar to viridans streptococci. Most often these isolates in clinical samples are misidentified and considered insignificant. However, with the use newer techniques like Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass-Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), aerococci have been recognized as significant human pathogens capable of causing a diverse spectrum of infections. Among the different species of aerococci,Aerococcus urinaeis the most common agent causing Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) followed byA. sanguinocola. Aerococcus viridans (A. viridans)have been reported rarely in urinary tract infections. The antimicrobial resistance in aerococci in terms of its intrinsic resistance and evolving resistance to penicillin and vancomycin has raised the concern for better understanding of this pathogen. We recently encountered two cases of nosocomial UTI caused byA. viridanswhich are being reported here.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research , Chandigarh, India .
authors.forename: Balvinder
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.affiliation: Senior Resident, Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research , Chandigarh, India .
authors.forename: Kamran
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zaman
authors.affiliation: Junior Resident, Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research , Chandigarh, India .
authors.forename: Naveen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Medical Microbiology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research , Chandigarh, India .
authors.forename: Neelam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Taneja
keywords: Aerococci; Nosocomial; Vancomycin