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Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2006, p. 923-927, Vol. 44, No. 3
0095-1137/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.44.3.923-927.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Characteristics of Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae Isolated from Purulent Sputum Samples

Elaine R. Keith,1 Roslyn G. Podmore,1 Trevor P. Anderson,1 and David R. Murdoch1,2*

Microbiology Unit, Canterbury Health Laboratories, Christchurch, New Zealand,1 Department of Pathology, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Christchurch, New Zealand2

Received 6 October 2005/ Returned for modification 20 November 2005/ Accepted 19 December 2005

Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae is a recently described streptococcus that is phenotypically and genetically distinct from Streptococcus pneumoniae and other viridans streptococci. Key characteristics of S. pseudopneumoniae are the absence of a pneumococcal capsule, insolubility in bile, resistance or indeterminate susceptibility to optochin when incubated in 5% CO2 but susceptibility to optochin when incubated in ambient air, and a positive reaction with the AccuProbe DNA probe hybridization test. The clinical importance of this bacterium is currently unknown. We report the characteristics and associated clinical data of 35 strains of S. pseudopneumoniae isolated from sputum samples from 33 patients. All isolates produced a positive result with the NOW S. pneumoniae antigen test (Binax, Inc.). No isolate was resistant to penicillin, but 60% were resistant to erythromycin and 77% were resistant to tetracycline. All patients had lower respiratory tract symptoms, 79% had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 33% had chest radiographic infiltrates. Compared with matched control patients who had Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from sputum, patients with S. pseudopneumoniae infection were more likely to have a history of COPD (odds ratio [OR], 5.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.67 to 20.11) or exacerbation of COPD (OR, 6.5; 95% CI, 2.61 to 16.20). Further research is needed to better characterize the epidemiology of S. pseudopneumoniae colonization and the role of S. pseudopneumoniae in COPD and other diseases.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Microbiology Unit, Canterbury Health Laboratories, P.O. Box 151, Christchurch, New Zealand. Phone: 64 3 364 1530. Fax: 64 3 364 0238. E-mail: david.murdoch{at}cdhb.govt.nz.

Journal of Clinical Microbiology, March 2006, p. 923-927, Vol. 44, No. 3
0095-1137/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/JCM.44.3.923-927.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



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