Infectious Disease Compendium

Aerococcus

Microbiology

Gram-positive cocci, may be mistaken for a viridans streptococcus. A. christensenii, A. sanguinicola, A. urinae, A. urinaehominis, A. viridans (2019 Review).

Epidemiologic Risks

Usually disease in the elderly (PubMed). If you isolate an alpha streptococcus in the urine, it is likely Aerococcus although the lab may not bother to identify it unless they have a MALDI-TOV, which, by the way, is not a salute.

Syndromes

Usually cystitis, especially in elderly demented men (PubMed). A. urinae and A. sanguinicola causes cystitis and endocarditis (PubMed).

Positive blood cultures in a bad host, the occasional endocarditis.

Treatment

Penicillin. With endocarditis, maybe combined with an aminoglycoside.

All strains of A. sanguinicola are susceptible to penicillin, ampicillin, cefuroxime, vancomycin, erythromycin, and rifampicin (PubMed). It can have increased MICs to levofloxacin.

"All isolates (of Aerococcus urinae and Aerococcus sanguinicola) were found susceptible to all six antimicrobial agents: penicillin, cefotaxime, meropenem, vancomycin, linezolid, and rifampicin (Pubmed)."

Notes

Curious Cases

Relevant links to my Medscape blog

What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.

Odd bacteria in bad places.

Significance

Urine and the Heart

Last update: 12/18/19