Neonatal septicaemia due to a nutritionally deficient streptococcus. A case report

A case of neonatal septicaemia due to a nutritionally deficient streptococcus is described. Unusual features were abdominal distension and excessive nasogastric aspirate with infrequent stools. Recovery followed treatment with intravenous penicillin and gentamicin. Attention is drawn to the possibility of missing such infections unless culture media are supplemented with vitamin B in cases in which staining of the blood culture reveals Gram-positive cocci which fail to grow on standard plates.