Streptococcus Gallolyticus Bacteraemia associated with colonic adenomatous polyps

Summary Bacteraemia due to Streptococcus gallolyticus is frequently associated with colorectal carcinoma, making evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract by colonoscopy obligatory in such cases. Bacterial endocarditis and purulent arthritis are also common in patients with these bacteraemias. Intestinal bacteria could behave as promoters of aberrant hyperpro- liferative behaviour in preneoplastic colorectal lesions, apparently due to chronic inflammatory processes and pro- duction of carcinogenic metabolites. The authors treated a patient with several tubular adenomatous polyps of the right colon, two of which showed areas of high-grade dys- plasia adjacent to areas of infectious bacterial colitis asso- ciated with Streptococcus gallolyticus bacteraemia and uni- lateral ankle arthritis.