Bacteremia due to Streptococcus gallolyticus: A Name with an Ominous Significance?

Streptococcus bovis is an underrecognized agent of systemic infections. It underwent reclassification into different subtypes and is currently termed as Streptococcus gallolyticus. Bacteremia due to S. gallolyticus has been traditionally associated with colon cancer or hepatobiliary disease and can result in endocarditis. Detection of S. gallolyticus in blood cultures prompts a thorough clinical evaluation in order to clarify the source of the bloodstream infection and the presence of complications. Subspeciation is crucial to understand the disease association, which is now possible with the use of phenotypic detection methods, such as, Vitek 2. The retrospective study by Niyas et al. serves to call attention to this organism and optimal approach to management. How to cite this article: Soman R, Eashwernath R. Bacteremia due to Streptococcus gallolyticus: A Name with an Ominous Significance? Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(10):901–902.