[Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus: a common infection caused by an unusual agent]

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Pediatric Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus is a Gram-positive coccus associated with neonatal sepsis and meningitis.
• This bacterium belongs to Lancefield group D and is catalase-negative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of meningitis caused by Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus in a 2-month-old infant.
• To review the literature regarding the underdiagnosis of this pathogen in pediatric meningitis.
• To document the first isolation of this agent at the National Children's Hospital of Costa Rica.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 2-month-old patient with meningitis.
• Clinical presentation, diagnostic, and therapeutic approaches are described.
• Literature review on Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus as a cause of pediatric meningitis.

Main Results:

• A 2-month-old infant presented with meningitis due to Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus.
• The literature review suggests this bacterium is frequently underdiagnosed as a cause of meningitis in children.
• This marks the first reported isolation of this pathogen at the National Children's Hospital of Costa Rica.

Conclusions:

• Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. pasteurianus can cause meningitis in infants.
• Increased awareness and diagnostic efforts are needed to identify this pathogen in pediatric meningitis.
• This case contributes to understanding the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in Costa Rica.