Infection with Streptococcus agalactiae in a London hospital.

Streptococcus agalactiae is presently the commonest beta-haemolytic streptococcus isolated from clinical material in this hospital. Between October 1974 and March 1975, 81 patients with such infections were seen. Seventeen had urinary tract infections, six had septicaemia, and one neonate had meningitis. Three of those with septicaemia were neonates and two died. The organism was also found to be a cause of pyogenic skin conditions in five patients. Isolates from throat swabs in 12 patients, from sputum in four, and from the female genital tract in 18 were considered part of the normal flora. Human strains of Str. agalactiae were found to be biochemically different from animal strains.