Streptococcus bovis Infection of the Central Nervous System: Report of Two Cases and Review

Streptococcus bovis is an uncommon cause of meningitis and subdural empyema. We report one case each of meningitis and subdural empyema in which S. bovis biotype II was isolated from both the spinal fluid and blood. In one case, the organisms were seen on a gram-stained preparation of cerebrospinal fluid. The first patient presented with gastrointestinal symptoms of unknown etiology, was immunosuppressed, and recovered. The second patient presented with syncope, developed a subdural empyema, and died; at autopsy, a colonic adenoma was found. A review of the English-language literature revealed only 14 previously reported cases of meningitis due to S. bovis and no cases of subdural empyema due to S. bovis. These cases indicate the importance of complete laboratory identification of specific organisms and confirm the need for a thorough neurological examination and search for underlying gastrointestinal disease in cases of S. bovis infection.