Microbiology: anaerobic Gram-positive coccus
Sites where it can be cultured as part of the normal flora:
(1) gastrointestinal tract
(2) genitourinary tract
(3) skin
(4) oral cavity
Infections from which it has been isolated:
(1) septic arthritis
(2) infected prosthetic joint
(3) bacterial endocarditis
(4) septicemia
(5) mediastinitis
(6) necrotizing pneumonia with or without empyema
(7) chorioamnionitis
(8) meningitis
(9) peritonitis
(10) soft tissue infections
(11) pericarditis
(12) osteomyelitis
Additional associations may include:
(1) postoperative infection despite preoperative prophylaxis with cefamandole or other antibiotic with low activity against it
(2) toxic shock syndrome
(3) post-traumatic infections
It is important:
(1) not to dismiss the organism as a contaminant and
(2) to perform anaerobic cultures.
