Streptococcus gallolyticus (ex S. bovis) bacteremia and its relationship with colonic or hepatobiliary disease and endocarditisBackground: Bacteremia due to Streptococcus bovis (now S. gallolyticus) has been traditionally associated to colon or hepatobiliar disease and endocarditis but there is no information on this matter in Chile.Aims: To describe clinical features of adult patients suffering bacteremia by S. bovis/S.gallolyticus, identify the source of the bacteremia and the frequency of endocarditis.Methods: Retrospective-descriptive study using laboratory records.Results: Between January 2003 and August 2014, 23 S. bovis/S.gallolyticus bacteremic events were identified among 22 patients.Mean age was 72.7 years (range 46-96).Co-morbidities were frequent (9.1 to 47.6%).The primary source of bacteremia was intestinal in 52.2%; hepatobiliar in 17.4% and in 34.8% it was not elucidated.Six patients had infective endocarditis (26.1%) and one patient had espondylodiscitis (4.3%).S. bovis represented 39.1% of isolates (all until 2008), S. gallolyticus subsp pasteurianus 39.1% and, S. gallolyticus subsp infantarius and S. gallolyticus subsp gallolyticus 8.7% each one, respectively.Association studies between the bacteremic source or endocarditis with specific S. gallolyticus subspecies were limited by the small number of isolates.Seven patients (30.4%) underwent surgical interventions.In-hospital mortality reached 21.7% (n = 5).Conclusions: Although infrequent, bacteremic events by S. gallolyticus/S.bovis have increased in-hospital mortality, require surgical intervention and affect older patients with co-morbidities.Near two-thirds suffer from colonic or hepatobiliary disease that act as the primary source of bacteremia.In addition, near one fourth is affected by infective endocarditis.Detection of S. gallolyticus/S.bovis in blood cultures prompts a thorough clinical evaluation in order to clarify the source of the bloodstream infection and the presence of complications.