We read with interest the recent publication by van Ommen et al. 1 of the first case of Streptococcus sinensis causing infective endocarditis (IE) in the Netherlands. The article does not describe the patient’s recent travel history. In cases of S. sinensis, the travel history is important in determining the possible geographical reservoirs for this agent. Cases have largely been reported in South East Asia and specifically Hong Kong,2,3 although more recently cases are being described in Europe.4–6 We published a case of S. sinensis in the UK in a Caucasian male who was a frequent traveller to Vietnam but had undergone dental work in Hong Kong.7 We hypothesized that the patient’s oral cavity, a natural reservoir for the bacterium, became colonized with S. sinensis during his frequent visits to the region and that he became bacteraemic at the time of his dental work.
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