The production of mannosidase activity by all currently recognized species of human viridans group streptococci was determined using an assay in which bacterial growth was dependent on the degradation of the high-mannose-type glycans of RNase B and subsequent utilization of released mannose. RNase B is an excellent substrate for the demonstration of mannosidase activity since it is a glycoprote...

The authors report a case of a 35-year-old man with no known underlying disease who presented with fever, cellulitis with hemorrhagic blebs on the left leg, monoarthricular left knee arthritis, multiple organ failure and septic shock. His clinical syndrome was compatible with toxic shock syndrome and his blood grew alpha hemolytic (viridians) Streptococcus mitis. To our knowledge, there are few...

Streptococcus tigurinus is a novel species of viridans streptococci, shown to cause severe invasive infections such as infective endocarditis, spondylodiscitis and meningitis. S. tigurinus belongs to the Streptococcus mitis group and is most closely related to Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae and Streptococcus infantis. The pres...

Cover photo: Mutans streptococci on mitis salivarius bacitracin agar (MSB). To the left, colony representing Streptococcus sobrinus. In the middle and to the right, colonies representing Streptococcus mutans.

Clinical and microbiologic studies of 50 cases of viridans streptococcal bacteremia in cancer patients were performed. The bacteria were identified to species level by sequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. At least nine Streptococcus spp. were found, including S. mitis (25 strains, 50.0% of 50); currently unnamed Streptococcus spp. (11 strains); S. parasanguis (five strains); S. anginosus (...

The novel, Gram-stain-positive, ovoid, lactic acid bacterial isolates LMG 27205, LMG 27206, LMG 27207(T) and MRI-F 18 were obtained from throat samples of healthy humans. 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses indicated that these isolates belong to the genus Streptococcus, specifically the Streptococcus mitis group, with Streptococcus australis and Streptococcus mitis as the nearest neighbours (99.45...

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a member of the Mitis group of streptococci which, according to 16S rRNA-sequence based phylogenetic reconstruction, includes 12 species. While other species of this group are considered prototypes of commensal bacteria, S. pneumoniae is among the most frequent microbial killers worldwide. Population genetic analysis of 118 strains, supported by demonstration of a di...

Background and Objectives: Dental caries, caused by oral microbial flora, is considered as one of the most common infectious diseases in human. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of short-term consumption of probiotic yogurt containing bifidobacterium lactis on salivary streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli in students with initial stages of dental caries. Materials and Methods:...

Streptococcus tigurinus, a novel member of the Streptococcus mitis group, was recently identified as a causative agent of invasive infections. We report the complete genome sequences of the S. tigurinus type strain AZ_3a and S. tigurinus strain 1366. The genome sequences assist in the characterization of virulence determinants of S. tigurinus.