Importance of streptococci as pathogens in the urinary tract

Streptococcus faecalis, while the most common streptococcal serotype causing urinary tract infection, is not the only one. Lancefield group A, B, C and G serotypes are capable of invading the urinary tract. This finding is not generally appreciated. The reason for this anomaly is seen in the failure of most investigators to utilise a definitive procedure to group streptococcal isolates from urine. Streptococci are responsible for 8.5 percent of urinary tract infections in this hospital.