Two cases of Streptococcus suis endocarditis in Australian piggery workers

Kennedy, Karina J; Jadeer, Assad A; Ong, Chong W; Senanayake, Sanjaya N; Collignon, Peter J

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb02100.x

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To the Editor: Streptococcus suis is an emerging zoonosis in humans and a common pathogen in Australian pigs.1 However, only two cases of human infection have previously been reported in Australia.2,3 We recently treated two Australian piggery workers, from the same town in New South Wales, for S. suis endocarditis.

Canberra Hospital, Canberra, ACT.

Correspondence: karina.kennedy@act.gov.au

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3. Tramontana AR, Graham M, Sinickas V, Bak N. An Australian case of Streptococcus suis toxic shock syndrome associated with occupational exposure to animal carcasses. Med J Aust 2008; 188: 538-539. <MJA full text>
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