Viridans streptococci septicemia was documented in ten cancer patients, 7 of whom were neutropenic (< 100'0'/mmc). Pneumonia was presumed to be the source of bacteremia in six patients. Viridans streptococci isolated from sputum culture in an immunocompromised host must be regarded as the potential eti,ological agent, then further charaoterized and checked for antibiotic sensitivity.
Viridans streptococci (VS) continue to be the m o s t c o m m o n etiologic agents in bacterial endocarditis, but the s p e c t r u m of diseases other than endocarditis caused by these microorganisms has received little attention. During a 20-month period we observed 422 consecutive febrile episodes in 315 cancer patients, 174 with hematological malignancies and 141 with solid tumors. Microbiologically d o c u m e n t e d infections with b a c t e r e m i a accounted for 13% (54 '422) of all febrile episodes: 29 (54%) were caused by gram-negative bacilli and 25 (46%) by gram-positive organisms. Among the gram-positive organisms, VS represented the second m o s t f~equently isolated pathogen after staphylococci. These facts p r o m p t e d us to analyze the role of these microorganisms in the etiology of b a c t e r e m i c infections in cancer patients by reviewing the source of infection, clinical p i c t u r e , antibiotic sensitivity, t r e a t m e n t and outcome.