Penicillin-resistant Streptococcus constellatus as a cause of endocarditis
R. M. Levin, L. Pulliam, C. Mondry, D. Levy, W. K. Hadley and M. Grossman
Endocarditis in a 2-year-old child was caused by a penicillin-resistant
Streptococcus constellatus. Viridans streptococci in general and those
associated with endocarditis in particular are usually believed to be
penicillin sensitive. Although the patient did not receive prophylactic
antibiotics, the child had recently been treated with an oral penicillin.
Penicillin-resistant viridans streptococci are usually sensitive to the
synergistic effects of penicillin and an aminoglycoside, but this organism
was not. Clindamycin was ultimately shown to demonstrate admirable
bactericidal activity against this patient's S constellatus.