Skip to main content
PMC home page
Epidemiology and Infection logoLink to Epidemiology and Infection
. 1987 Oct;99(2):257–264. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800067728

Group L beta-haemolytic streptococcal infection in meat handlers: another streptococcal zoonosis?

M Barnham 1, D J Neilson 1
PMCID: PMC2249280  PMID: 3678390

Abstract

Group L, beta-haemolytic streptococci can cause infection in dogs, pigs, cattle and sheep but there have been very few reports in man. In studies of skin infection in meat handlers we cultured group L streptococci from clinically infected wounds, impetigo and paronychia of 15 patients involved in the slaughter and processing of chickens and pigs. Staphylococcus aureus was also present in eight (53%) of the lesions. At least five other infections with group L streptococci in meat and animal handlers are known to have occurred in other parts of England in recent years, and brief details are given.

Full text

PDF
257

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Barnham M., Kerby J. A profile of skin sepsis in meat handlers. J Infect. 1984 Jul;9(1):43–50. doi: 10.1016/s0163-4453(84)94472-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Barnham M., Kerby J. Skin sepsis in meat handlers: observations on the causes of injury with special reference to bone. J Hyg (Lond) 1981 Dec;87(3):465–476. doi: 10.1017/s0022172400069710. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bevanger L., Stamnes T. I. Group L streptococci as the cause of bacteraemia and endocarditis. A case report. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B. 1979 Oct;87(5):301–302. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1979.tb02442.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bratthall D., Carlsson J. Oral streptococci and commercial grouping sera. Odontol Revy. 1968;19(2):205–209. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Broome C. V., Moellering R. C., Jr, Watson B. K. Clinical significance of Lancefield groups L-T streptococci isolated from blood and cerebrospinal fluid. J Infect Dis. 1976 Apr;133(4):382–392. doi: 10.1093/infdis/133.4.382. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. David T. J., Cambridge G. C. Bacterial infection and atopic eczema. Arch Dis Child. 1986 Jan;61(1):20–23. doi: 10.1136/adc.61.1.20. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Ellner P. D. Endocarditis due to group L Streptococcus. Ann Intern Med. 1970 Apr;72(4):547–548. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-72-4-547. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Jones J. E. Experimental streptococcal endocarditis in the pig: the development of lesions 3 to 14 days after inoculation. J Comp Pathol. 1981 Jan;91(1):51–62. doi: 10.1016/0021-9975(81)90044-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jones J. E. The carriage of beta-haemolytic streptococci by healthy pigs. Br Vet J. 1976 May-Jun;132(3):276–283. doi: 10.1016/s0007-1935(17)34687-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Jones J. E. The serological classification of streptococci isolated from diseased pigs. Br Vet J. 1976 Mar-Apr;132(2):163–171. doi: 10.1016/s0007-1935(17)34738-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. McLEAN S. J. The physiological characteristics of group L streptococci. Aust J Exp Biol Med Sci. 1955 Apr;33(2):275–279. doi: 10.1038/icb.1955.28. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Nordlander I. M., Thal E., Tunevall G. Occurrence and significance of hemolytic streptococci groups b-u in human infectious disease. Scand J Infect Dis. 1975;7(1):35–38. doi: 10.3109/inf.1975.7.issue-1.06. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Wilson C. D., Salt G. F. Streptococci in animal disease. Soc Appl Bacteriol Symp Ser. 1978;7:143–156. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Epidemiology and Infection are provided here courtesy of Cambridge University Press

RESOURCES