STREPTOCOCCUS-ANGINOSUS, STREPTOCOCCUS-CONSTELLATUS AND STREPTOCOCCUS-INTERMEDIUS - CLINICAL RELEVANCE, HEMOLYTIC AND SEROLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS

A collection of 518 ''Streptococcus milleri'' isolates recovered from clinical specimens was identified to the species level according to re cently established criteria. Streptococcus anginosus was the most freq uently isolated species (59.3%), followed by S constellatus (30.3%) an d S intermedius (10.4%). One third (34%) of all isolates were beta-hem olytic. The majority of S anginosus isolates were nonhemolytic, carrie d Lancefield group F, or were nongroupable. Most of the S constellatus isolates were beta-hemolytic, as well as 16.6% of S intermedius strai ns. Streptococcus anginosus was recovered more often from the genital and urinary tracts and S constellatus was recovered from the thorax. S treptococcus intermedius was mostly found in the head and neck area, b ut was also isolated from the abdomen and the skin, bone, and soft tis sue. Streptococcus intermedius and nonhemolytic isolates were recovere d most often from abscess-related specimens.